fnatic Sign Maden to Replace blameF as Dane Completes Move to BIG

fnatic have officially confirmed a major roster shake-up, announcing the departure of Benjamin “blameF” Bremer and the arrival of Pavle “Maden” Bošković as his replacement. The move signals a clear stylistic shift for the organisation as they look to redefine their identity heading into the next phase of tier-one competition.

In a statement released by the organisation, fnatic explained that the change is part of a long-term vision focused on increasing pace and aggression.

“As part of the system we’re building for the future, we identified the need to shift towards a more proactive entry-focused and aggressive rifler approach. To support that direction, we’re excited to welcome Maden – an experienced space taker – as we set our sights on the upcoming Majors and tier-one competition.”

— fnatic

Maden Brings Aggression, Not Like-for-Like Value

Maden joins fnatic following an eight-month stint with Zero Tenacity, where he posted a solid 1.08 rating across several online tournaments. While respectable, the Montenegrin rifler is not a direct statistical replacement for blameF, who finished 2025 as fnatic’s highest-rated player.

Instead, this move is about roles and philosophy rather than raw numbers. Maden’s reputation as a fearless space creator suggests fnatic are willing to sacrifice some late-round consistency in favour of faster map control and more explosive mid-round options. A broader role reshuffle now feels inevitable.

The aggressive rifler is set to make his fnatic debut at BLAST Bounty Season 1, which begins on January 12 with its online stage.

fnatic Current Line-up

• Rodion “fEAR” Smyk 
• Dmytro “jambo” Semera 
• Freddy “KRIMZ” Johansson 
• Nikita “jackasmo” Skyba 
• Pavle “Maden” Bošković 
• Miks “Independent” Siliņš  

BIG Confirm blameF Signing and Appoint New Leadership Core

Shortly after fnatic’s announcement, BIG revealed that they had secured blameF’s signature, while also adding Tizian “tiziaN” Feldbusch as assistant coach. The German organisation are clearly investing heavily in leadership and structure.

Roman Reinhardt, BIG’s Chief Gaming Officer, highlighted blameF’s vision and authority as key factors behind the move.

“Benjamin has been at an absolute top level individually for a long time, but what mattered even more to me were our conversations. He has a clear vision of how Counter-Strike needs to be played, how a team must function, and what responsibility an IGL has to carry.”

— Reinhardt

The 28-year-old Dane joins BIG as their new in-game leader, a role he previously held during his time with Astralis. He replaces Lukas “FreeZe” Hegmann, whose brief tenure as IGL ended after just three months following tabseN’s step back from the role.

blameF leaves fnatic after an 18-month spell in which he averaged an impressive 1.21 rating and helped the team qualify for both the Shanghai and Budapest Majors. His arrival also makes him just the second non-German player in BIG’s roster, following the addition of Gleb “gr1ks” Gazin in late 2025.

The Dane is expected to make his BIG debut at CCT Season 3 Europe Series 13, starting on January 18.

BIG Current Line-up

• Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz 
• Jon “JDC” de Castro 
• David “prosus” Hesse 
• Gleb “gr1ks” Gazin 
• Benjamin “blameF” Bremer 
• Sebastian “xenn” Hoch  (coach)
• Tizian “tiziaN” Feldbusch  (assistant coach)

With fnatic leaning into aggression and BIG doubling down on structure and leadership, both teams now head into the upcoming CS2 calendar with radically different but equally ambitious blueprints.