Counter-Strike Legend f0rest Announces Retirement

The Swede began his career back in CS 1.6, climbing to the top with Begrip, Fnatic and SK Gaming before switching to CS:GO where he joined Ninjas In Pyjamas and brought them historical glory. Between the years 2012 and 2013, NIP boasted an 87-0 win streak on LAN thanks to the golden duo of f0rest and GeT_RiGhT. Later, they also went on to win ESL Cologne 2014, which remains the organization’s only Major title so far.

The years caught up

As f0rest grew older and older, his abilities naturally started to falter. He eventually left NIP as they brought younger talent on board, joining Dignitas alongside three of his former teammates. While f0rest had a blast playing with old friends, the team was unable to perform substantially and was eventually disbanded in 2022. Even though f0rest expressed the desire to smash the age barrier and prove everyone wrong by keeping up a stellar performance in his late 30s, nothing much became of it. According to HLTV: “Over the next 18 months, he was consigned to stand-in spells and showmatch appearances. Some teams made inquiries, but nothing ever materialized.”

Now, f0rest has come to accept the reality and has decided to embrace it, becoming a brand ambassador for his former organization, Ninjas In Pyjamas. While the organization has offered him a role in the coaching staff, f0rest said he has no coaching plans at the moment, although the prospect of aiding younglings with his experience definitely seems enticing. Regardless, as NIP’s newest brand ambassador, f0rest will be making a public appearance at Svenska Cupen, a $48,000 in-person tournament in Stockholm with six teams, including the Ninjas' own squad, who will face Alliance in the semi-finals. All of f0rest’s original teammates (except Fifflaren⁠) will also be attending, serving as a much-needed reunion.

f0rest’s parting words

f0rest shared some heartfelt words as he reflected on his 18 year long career:

"When I first thought about it, I felt sad. But looking back, I'm very, very proud. I'm super happy with the journey I've done with my teammates and all the trophies we've done, all the travels I've done. It also feels like it's good to put a closure on that, to put a bit of ease on my mind. Going around thinking that you might play is not always the best for your mental health, I feel. Like, always hoping, hoping, hoping. I feel like now that I have closed this chapter, now I move forward. The moment I started to realize, 'Yeah, this is happening,' there was a little bit of sadness. But hey, I have been playing for, like, 17 or 18 years. I think I have done my fair share of playing," f0rest spoke about his thoughts on retirement.

"I truly believed when I said those words, that I could compete and be very useful to a team. But as time went on, I also realized that you have these talents. You have m0NESY, you have b1t, you have donk. What is so attractive about me? I started to think like that. I have two kids, I have done all the traveling. I've won a lot of tournaments. I wasn't told so, but I think that those aspects were a hindrance to teams. Like, 'Why are you doing this? Do we want to gamble on you? Why should we take you instead of like a young guy who's going to do everything to play on this level? But yes, I was sad that I didn't get the chance to at least prove that. I truly believe what I'm good at is what I'm good at. It's being second entry or maybe entry. I'm very confident in my aim, in my gut feeling and my reading of the game and reacting fast enough.I think those are my strengths, and limiting myself to in-game leading… I have never done it. I think that would just be me trying to cling to something that is not for me. Either I'm going out guns blazing or I don't want it. There's no point," f0rest spoke about his struggle to fit the meta in his older days

"I know there are great Swedish players out there and I want to see Sweden on top again. We were young back then. Now friberg having two kids and a cat, Xizt being a coach, GeT_RiGhT doing his own thing…It's very fun to see the type of roads we have taken and how we keep evolving. All of them are great guys. When I see them or talk to them, I still see us back in, like, 2012, sitting in a shitty hotel room, having laughs, preparing for tournaments. I cannot see the more serious side they have today. It still warms my heart, seeing them doing their thing," f0rest concludes with some heartwarming words.

Thus, the chapter closes on one of the Counter-Strike’s biggest and most influential success stories. Although his final few years were tough as he struggled to come to terms with the harshness of time, it’s good to see him moving on to doing more fulfilling things and staying connected with Counter-Strike. Everyone looks forward to seeing him at the Svenska Cupen.