RpK to step down from Team Vitality CSGO roster after BLAST Premier Showdown

French Counter-Strike: Global Offensive star Cédric ‘RpK’ Guipouy has announced that he will be stepping down from his role on the Team Vitality roster following the BLAST Premier Showdown.

The 31-year-old player has been competing since 2007, but on April 12, 2021, revealed that he will be stepping back from the active roster and taking a break from competing.

Team Vitality coach Rémy ‘XTQZZZ’ Quoniam made a statement about RpK’s decision to take a step back from competing, saying that the team “needs to find a new pace” following the difficulties they have faced. He adds that it’s never easy to let a “legendary player” like RpK go, but they’ll “support him in what’s yet to come.”

RpK added in his own tweet that he will be “taking some time off to think about what he’ll be doing in the future.” It is not clear whether this means staying on competing in CSGO, be it down the line with Vitality or with another team, or moving on from his professional career.

RpK replaced by Kyojin

Jayson ‘Kyojin’ Nguyen Van is set to replace RpK following his final event with the squad. This will be Kyojin’s first time representing a major organization in CSGO, and could spell the beginning of a big career for the young Frenchman.

XTQZZZ called Kyojin a “unique player with great untapped talent and tremendous potential,” signalling high expectations for the young gun.

The BLAST Premier Showdown takes place between April 13-18. You can find out everything you need to know about the event, including teams, prize pool and schedule, here.