Danish esports organisation Astralis has mutually parted ways with Counter-Strike 2 player Martin ‘stavn‘ Lund after stepping away from the starting line-up in August.
The rifler stepped away from active competition to grieve the loss of his brother, who passed away in December 2021.
Announced on January 7th, 2026, the organisation revealed that it held “open and respectful conversations” resulting in stavn being released from his contract earlier and providing him the opportunity to explore options to continue competing with a new team.
Stavn becomes the third player to depart Astralis in recent weeks as it looks to rebuild the roster before the season gets underway. In late 2025, Nicolai ‘dev1ce’ Reedtz and Emil ‘Magisk‘ Reif left the organisation as it looks to pursue an international direction.
“Martin is not only a fantastic player and person, but has been a true professional and a pleasure to work with throughout his time at Astralis,” wrote the organisation on social media. “We are deeply grateful for everything he has contributed to the team, and we’ll be cheering him on as and when he takes his next steps – on and off the server.”
Stavn joined Astralis in November 2023, competing at several high-profile tournaments throughout 2025. The Dane scored consecutive second-place finishes at PGL Astana 2025 and FISSURE Playground 1.
What Next For Astralis?
Currently ranked 15th in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS), Astralis is one of 32 teams set to compete in BLAST Bounty Season 1, the first Tier 1 event of the 2026 season.
The organisation has yet to reveal the two players completing the five-man roster, despite the closed qualifiers for BLAST Bounty beginning on January 13th.
The five-day online qualifiers will see teams competing for eight places at the LAN finals and an opportunity to begin the year on the front foot with a high-profile event including all-important VRS points.
