Cloud9 CSGO team are masterminded by owner and manager Jack Ettiene who acquired the team in 2014 from compLexity Gaming. They might be fairly new, but they’ve got huge potential to create a huge mark on the world of CGSO. To date the team has amassed nearly $800,000 in winnings. 2017 will surely see them hit the all important $1million mark.
Highlights / Strengths
Cloud9 are one of the best North American CSGO teams, with several impressive finishes in events worldwide. They became the first team to win all but one map in the ESL Pro League with a 25-1 record and recorded a massive win in 2015s ESL Pro League finals against sure favourites SK Gaming for their biggest purse to date; $200k.
Branding / Sponsorship / Logo
The Cloud9 logo is a thing of totally simple beauty; three blue 9s in combination, one nine atop a couple of 9s making up a cloud symbol. In their online store you can buy your favourite team jersey along with t-shirts, hoodies, caps, sunglasses and other great items.
Cloud 9’s partners include Twitch, the world leading social video platform and community for gamers. Other sponsors are Logitech, HTC, Red Bull, iBuypower, HyperX, Crunchyroll, MSI, Intel, NEEDforSEAT USA, LoLwiz, and Boomeo, the web based e-Sports platform for education and training. Cloud9 are very active on Boomeo providing exclusive CSGO instructional content. And they regularly feature on Twitch and Reddit live streaming.
Team Roles / Expertise
Cloud9 have previously had issues with players playing undefined roles, something that had really hindered their game play. But since Stewie2k’s elevation to the position of IGL and chief Rifler, things have really improved.
Autimatic’s inclusion in the team from August 2016 is considered by many to be a real turning point, providing an anchor role and working well in tandem with Stewie2k. Skadoodle is a top AWPer known for his lurking and clutching abilities, and the team gain vast experience through the calm game play of n0thing. Finally there’s the unpredictable brilliance of shroud, equally well known for his Twitch streaming and his incredible game play.
Achievements
The current roster of Cloud9 CSGO players includes Stewie2k, n0thing, autimatic Skadoodle, and Shroud (the lone Canadian in a USA team). 2015 saw Cloud9 secure a major 2nd place $60k finish in the ESL ESEA Pro League Season 1 finals, losing to Team Fnatic. Later that year they went one better, winning the Premier tier iBUYPOWER Cup, netting them $65k.
2016 continued the team’s impressive rise, featuring a first in the iBUYPOWER Invitational, 5th-8th place in ELEAGUE Season 1 and 5th-6th place in the Esports Championship Series. Their biggest win to date saw them scoop $200k in October’s ESL Pro League Season 4 finals, defeating SK Gaming 2-1.
This impressive victory and the exponential rise of this young team was recognised with the awarding of the Best Esports Team at The Gaming Awards at the end of 2016.
