Xizt: I am very happy and satisfied with what I accomplished as a player
HLTV.org got the chance to speak with Richard “Xizt” Landström after he announced his retirement as a player.
On Thursday, the Swedish CS:GO legend, Xizt, announced his retirement as a player, bringing an end to his 12-year Counter-Strike career during which he won numerous titles and represented big organizations such as Ninjas in Pyjamas ,FaZe Clan, and Dignitas.
“My career has had its ups and downs, but looking back it’s been an amazing and unforgettable journey,” the Swede stated in the announcement while also hinting at his plans for the future: “I’m not walking away from Counter-Strike yet!”
The 30-year-old Swede most notably helped Ninjas in Pyjamas establishing the first true era in CS:GO as they dominated every single team they met, winning 87 LAN maps in a row without dropping a single one. 87-0 is a record that has never been replicated by any team since, and remains one of the most impressive Esports records of all time. It’s a huge number, and on the surface, it just seems impossible.
“Being a part of the legendary Ninjas in Pyjamas team and also doing it as an IGL isn’t something I could have dreamt of when I was a kid. The game of Counter-Strike has given me so much, not only in terms of winning tournaments, but I have grown so much as a person and I have got to experience the world by doing what I love. Of course, there are always what-ifs, maybe I could have made different decisions towards the end of my career, but in the end, I am really proud of what I have accomplished.”
“Making the decision to stop playing wasn’t an easy one, but it’s something that I have though about a lot for the last couple of years, and now when I had time off to reflect it became clear to me that continuing playing wasn’t an option,” Xizt said in an interview with HLTV.org.
When asked about his biggest memories as a competitor, the Swedish Major-winner highlighted the Cologne Major which NiP won after two grand final losses.
“Winning a Major was our biggest goal and after losing two finals in a row prior, I don’t think anyone expected us to win Cologne, but we grew as a team game by game and it was amazing getting that Major win together.”
While the 30-year-old Swede has decided to not join the server as a player anymore, he’s convinced his time in the Counter-Strike world is far from over.
“I love Counter-Strike and Esports. I am open to the opportunity to coach, do analytical work or team management, preferably in CS:GO where my expertise is. Now that I have had time off to reflect and refuel, I am very motivated and willing to work my ass off to win tournaments again, but in a different role.”
Take a look at Xizt’s accomplishment in his 12-year long career.
MVP’s
THOR Open 2012
DreamHack Masters Malmö 2016
Majors
ESL One Cologne 2014 (NiP)
Other tournaments
DreamHack Valencia 2012 (NiP)
ESWC 2012 (NiP)
DreamHack Winter 2012 (NiP)
AMD Sapphire CS:GO Invitational (NiP)
THOR Open 2012 (NiP)
NorthCon 2012 (NiP)
Mad Catz Vienna (NiP)
TECHLABS Cup 2013 (NiP)
RaidCall EMS One Spring 2013 Finals (NiP)
ESEA Invite Season 13 Global Finals (NiP)
SLTV StarSeries VI Finals (NiP)
ESEA Invite Season 14 Global Finals (NiP)
DreamHack Bucharest 2013 (NiP)
Copenhagen Games 2014 (NiP)
DreamHack Summer 2014 (NiP)
ESL One Cologne 2014 (NiP)
ASUS ROG Winter (NiP)
DreamHack Masters Malmö 2016 (NiP)
StarSeries S2 Finals (NiP)
IEM Oakland 2016 (NiP)
IEM Oakland 2017 (NiP)
IEM Sydney 2018 (FaZe)
