Norwegian esports organisation HEROIC has introduced Älımjan “Alkaren” Bıtımbai will miss the beginning of the 2026 Counter-Strike 2 season as a consequence of ‘unexpected visa points’.
Because of this, the Kazakhstani participant received’t compete within the BLAST Bounty Season 1 closed qualifiers.
Introduced on January thirteenth, 2026, the organisation revealed it’s seeking to discover a answer and hopes Alkaran can return to the beginning line-up quickly. Taking his place is Simon ‘yxngstxr‘ Boije, who returns to the roster after being moved to the bench on January sixth.
At present ranked seventeenth within the Valve Regional Standings (VRS), HEROIC is certainly one of 32 groups competing in BLAST Bounty, the primary Tier 1 occasion of the 12 months. Its marketing campaign begins on January 14th, the place it faces off towards Pleasant Campers within the spherical of 32.
HEROIC was set to play Fragadelphia Frag Miami 2 champions NRG in its opening match. Nevertheless, the North American facet withdrew from the occasion, permitting Pleasant Campers to take its place.
“We wish to stress, this resolution just isn’t a mirrored image of Alimzhan’s means or character,” mentioned HEROIC on social media. “We’re working to discover a answer to the state of affairs, and hope to see him rejoin the energetic lineup as quickly as attainable.”
HEROIC’s 2026 Ambitions
HEROIC has remained among the many world’s prime 20 groups regardless of a interval of turbulence in the course of the second half of 2025. Nevertheless, following top-16 finishes at FISSURE Playground 1, IEM Cologne 2025, and FISSURE Playground 2, the crew dropped out of competition for the StarLadder Budapest Main.
With Alkaren out of the beginning line-up for an undisclosed period of time, it’s unclear how lengthy yxngstxr will compete underneath the HEROIC banner. Over the following two months, the crew will compete at IEM Kraków 2026 and PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 because it goals to start the 12 months on the entrance foot.
