Ninjas in Pyjamas part ways with es3tag

Ninjas in Pyjamas part ways with es3tag

Kaustavmani Choudhury

17 Sep, 2024, 21:07

|

Last updated: 9 Apr, 2025, 08:03

Ninjas in Pyjamas have announced today that they are parting ways with Patrick "es3tag" Hansen. The Danish player leaves the organization after a turbulent three-year stint, marked by multiple benchings, and brief returns to the active lineup.

Es3tag joined Ninjas in Pyjamas in late 2021 and quickly made an impact in the first half of 2022. After the loss of Nicolai "⁠device⁠" Reedtz at the end of 2021, the Dane helped NIP reach the semi-finals at ESL Pro League Season 15 and the quarter-finals of the PGL Major Antwerp. This period of success culminated in a win at the Global Esports Tour Dubai, establishing es3tag as a key figure during that time.

However, as the year progressed, NIP's performance faltered. By the latter half of 2022, es3tag was benched as the team entered a period of constant change. His benching was the first of many interruptions in his tenure with the Swedish organization.

Es3tag returned to NIP’s active roster in late 2023, following the appointment of Björn "THREAT" Pers as General Manager, but the comeback was short-lived. Following the team’s failure to qualify for the first CS2 Major at PGL Copenhagen, he was once again benched in February 2024.

Since then, es3tag has not returned to the lineup and has remained silent on social media. He has yet to comment on his departure from Ninjas in Pyjamas, leaving his future in competitive Counter Strike uncertain.

As NIP moves forward, es3tag’s departure marks the end of a challenging era for both the player and the organization.


Stay up to date with the latest Counter-Strike 2 news on our website Strafe Esports. Or perhaps give our X account a follow for our latest content pieces.

Featured Image Source: João Ferreira/PGL

Read More:

Why the Counter-Strike Desert Eagle is a Must-Have

ohnepixel's DRILLAS replaces AMSALEM with SENER1

Astralis CEO Nikolaj Nyholm Steps Down

Latest news

Magisk Joins BC.Game’s Counter-Strike Roster as IGL

Magisk Joins BC.Game’s Counter-Strike Roster as IGL

BC.Game adds four-time Major winner Magisk as its in-game leader. The Danish CS legend joins s1mple, electronic, and Senzu in the lineup.
2h
Adarsh J. Kumar

FISSURE Owes Prize Money to Multiple CS2 Orgs, Including Astralis, FURIA, and G2

FISSURE has acknowledged outstanding prize pool payments owed to 15 Counter-Strike 2 teams, including top organizations like Astralis, FURIA, and G2. The organizer clarified that the pending amounts relate exclusively to tournament winnings from its event series, not salaries or commercial agreements
26 Jun
André Guaraldo

New Study Finds 400 Million Gen Z Consumers Regularly Engage With Esports

The numbers are in, and they're hard to argue with. A new whitepaper from ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports, and Niko Partners titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend dropped today, and it paints a picture of an audience that is bigger, more engaged, and more commercially valuable than many brands still realize
25 Jun
Thales Costa

G2 Bench SunPayus; r1nkle Joins CS2 Roster

After what many would consider a successful run at the IEM Cologne Major 2026, G2 CS2 has decided to bench their AWPer SunPayus in favor of r1nkle. The Ukrainian 21 y.o made waves in 2025 with NIP and was benched by the team in April 2026.
25 Jun
Ganesh Jadhav

G2 Esports and One Piece Collaborate to Create New Limited-Edition Drop

Esports giant G2 is making another move into the anime fashion space, this time partnering with one of the most beloved franchises in the world. In collaboration with One Piece, G2 has announced a new limited-edition streetwear drop available as of today (June 25).
25 Jun
Martin Arévalo-Östberg

CS2 Major Revenue Share Changes Are Pushing Organizations Away from Counter-Strike

Valve’s new CS2 Major revenue share ties sticker income to VRS and final placement, removing capsule‑style payouts and concentrating money among top finishers. The result: higher volatility for clubs that relied on sticker cheques, early roster cuts like Gaimin Gladiators, and a narrower field of sustainable CS2 organizations unless the payout model changes.
23 Jun
André Guaraldo

Cache Is Back, Overpass Is Out for CS2 Premier Season 5

After seven long years on the sidelines, Cache is finally making its way back into competitive Counter-Strike. Valve officially announced that Cache will replace Overpass in the Active Duty map pool starting with Premier Season 5.
22 Jun
Thales Costa

Comments (1)

Log in to comment on this match
No comments yet

Log in and be the first to start the conversation!

Show more comments