Team Spirit have officially confirmed sweeping roster changes as they look to reset after a frustrating end to the year. Boris “magixx” Vorobiev and Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia return to the active lineup, replacing long-time captain Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov and Ivan “zweih” Gogin.
The move signals a clear shift in direction for the Russian organisation, one driven by inconsistency rather than a lack of silverware. Despite lifting trophies earlier in the season, Spirit struggled to sustain their form once summer turned into autumn.
magixx Takes Over the IGL Role
With chopper stepping aside, Spirit have handed the in-game leader role to magixx — a transition that has been quietly brewing for months. The 21-year-old previously revealed on HLTV Confirmed that he was open to calling, and the organisation clearly believes now is the right moment to make that leap.
It’s a bold call. chopper has been the tactical backbone of Spirit for years, guiding the team through its most successful era and earning a nomination for IGL of the Year at the 2024 HLTV Awards. Only Natus Vincere’s Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen stood in his way.
Still, Spirit are betting on evolution. magixx will need to balance fragging, leadership, and macro decision-making — a demanding task, but one the coaching staff feels he’s ready for.
From High Peaks to Painful Inconsistency
The roster changes come after a turbulent second half of the season. Spirit initially found success after replacing magixx with zweih, claiming titles at IEM Cologne and the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Finals. However, that momentum faded quickly.
The situation became more complicated when Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich was added to replace zont1x, who stepped away due to personal reasons. The constant shuffling disrupted roles and chemistry, and Spirit never truly found a stable identity.
Their year ultimately ended at the Budapest Major, where a semi-final exit at the hands of Vitality stung deeply — especially after Spirit squandered a 12–6 lead on Mirage before falling 0–2.
hally Explains the zweih Decision
Head coach Sergey “hally” Shavaev addressed the difficult call to bench zweih in a candid statement.
“It’s important to point out that replacing zweih proved a very difficult decision for us,” hally said. “We truly consider him a very talented player and a great teammate. If only it was possible to field more than five players, we’d be happy to keep working with him.”
According to hally, the issue wasn’t talent but fit. zweih’s natural tendencies didn’t align with the roles Spirit currently need filled, and further development is required before he can consistently perform at the elite level.
Despite the benching, the door remains open for the future.
Read also: StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Recap & Full Breakdown
Another Turning Point for chopper
This marks the second time chopper has been benched since joining Spirit in 2019. A similar situation unfolded after the Stockholm Major in 2021, when he was placed on the transfer list — only to return stronger three months later.
hally shared an emotional message for his long-time collaborator, underlining just how significant chopper’s contribution has been.
“Throughout all these years you have become my closest teammate,” he said. “Our tandem has brought me so many emotions, and I’m truly grateful for the time we spent together.”
Looking Ahead to 2026
Spirit will debut their revamped roster at BLAST Bounty 2026, which kicks off on January 12 with a 32-team online stage. Expectations are high — but so are the questions.
“Miroslav is fully refreshed and will get back to playing his old spots,” hally explained. “Boris will have to master a new role as captain, but I’m confident he has what it takes.”
For a team built around the generational talent of donk, this reshuffle feels less like a rebuild and more like a recalibration. The pieces are there. Now, Spirit must prove that the new hierarchy can deliver consistency at the very top.
Spirit’s Updated Roster
Active lineup:
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets russia (terrorist state)
Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov russia (terrorist state)
Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich (Belarus)
Boris “magixx” Vorobiev russia (terrorist state)
Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia ( Ukraine)
Coach:
Sergey “hally” Shavaev russia (terrorist state)
Benched:
Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov russia (terrorist state)
Ivan “zweih” Gogin russia (terrorist state)