Stockholm, April 10th 2025
After a tough end to 2024 that saw NIP miss out on the Major, Artem ‘r1nkle’ Moroz returns with a fresh roster and a new chapter ahead. We caught up with him early this year to talk about the lessons learned, and how the team is approaching the rebuild with eyes set on growth in 2025.
So, you were one of last year's Breakout stars. Congratulations. How do you feel about going into 25 with this new roster?
r1nkle: I'm really excited. Kind of feeling like the old man in this roster. So yeah, I'm pretty excited. Everyone is experienced, and I'm ready to gain that experience too and keep improving.
You're both one of the youngest players on the team, but also one of the more experienced players in NIP. How are you helping the new guys settle in?
r1nkle: I mean, I wouldn’t say I’m “helping” in a big way. It's a new roster for everyone, so we're all figuring it out together. I'm just trying to make everyone feel comfortable and support them however I can.
That makes sense! Now about last year… you were one of our best players. But of course, last year's results didn't always go our way. What skills are you looking to improve for yourself going into this year? What are you most focusing on?
r1nkle: Mostly team stuff, but personally, I want to work on being less aggressive and more in flow with the team. Learning to play more passively when it’s needed. Finding that balance.
Last year was the first full year of CS2. How’s the transition been for you?
r1nkle: It’s been good. I still think it’s not an AWP-friendly meta with how the subtick system works. Sometimes you just get wrecked by rifles and there’s nothing you can do. But overall, I feel good.
You’ve worked with a few IGLs now. How’s it been working with Snappi so far?
r1nkle: As I said before, I feel very excited. He's very experienced. And I'm ready to gain this experience and develop more as a team player.
You moved from B8 to NIP last year, going from a smaller team to facing off against Tier 1 competition. What’s been the biggest takeaway from that shift?
r1nkle: I played a lot more LANs than I played in B8. And I think I like it the most. Out of everything. I always wanted to play against the best ones, they expose your mistakes and help you grow.
And you look at them from the other perspective, if you play versus these Tier 1 teams. This extra motivation to become one of them. And be the top dog.
Speaking of playing against Tier 1 teams. Of course, your last big match last year was against Spirit. Which was a very heartbreaking but very hard-fought match. And we weren't really expected to play it. How do you feel about that game reflecting on it now?
r1nkle: It was tough. Going into it 3-2, it kind of felt like we were already qualified for the Major. And if Passion had lost, we would’ve made it. But then we had to face Spirit. That taught me not to let emotions get ahead of reality. It’s not over until it’s over. You have to stay focused, game by game.
You faced Heroic a lot last year, and now you’re playing with sjuush. How do you feel about that dynamic?
r1nkle: Yeah, we played them a lot. Always tough and kind of funny games. I’m excited to play with sjuush. Even just from practice, you can see he’s super smart. I’m already learning from him and I think we’ll gain a lot from his experience.
Xizt is still coaching the team. How do you feel the vision for 2025 compares to last year?
r1nkle: When Richard joined, I think he already had the ambition to fight for titles, but didn’t get to build the team right away. Now he’s had the chance to actually shape it. I trust him a lot and I think he made the right choices. I’m very excited for this year.
With the new VRS system, the start of the year is a grind. How do you feel about playing more online and chasing points?
r1nkle: For snappi and sjuush, I think it’ll be a good reset since they traveled so much before. For me, I’m used to online games. I don’t mind it, but I still prefer LANs. Hopefully we can get some deep runs early and secure those invites.
You gained a lot of fans last year. What can they expect from you in 2025?
r1nkle: They can expect me to keep being that hype guy, like before. I think people enjoyed that. I hope the fans stick with us and with the new roster. Maybe we’ll even gain more.
If 2025 ends perfectly for NIP, what does that look like to you?
r1nkle: A stable roster. Some playoff runs. But yeah, I really want to win titles already.
Any last words for the fans?
r1nkle: Thank you for supporting NIP and me. I really appreciate it. Keep doing that.
With a new roster, a clean slate, and motivation to prove himself again, r1nkle is heading into 2025 focused on growth, stability, and deeper runs. It’s not about bouncing back overnight, just taking it one game at a time.
