Snappi: Unclear which NiP will show up

Three days into the Esports World Cup, Ninjas in Pyjamas recovered from a best-of-one loss to Legacy with a series win over BetBoom. Marco ‘Snappi’ Pfeiffer identified roster and staff changes and inconsistent CT play as the main reasons the team’s results have varied.

Kacper ‘xKacpersky’ Gabara produced a dominant performance in the series, particularly on Terrorist sides. Pfeiffer pointed to a split in the player’s form between sides, noting the attacker’s higher numbers on Terrorist rounds compared with CT rounds. ‘He has like a 1.20 rating on T and then 1.00 on CT,’ Pfeiffer said, adding that the player should improve as he adjusts to teammates in new roles.

The playing lineup has shifted in recent weeks. Martin ‘stavn’ Lund has taken over AWP duties and Belgian rifler Roman ‘n0te’ Hamze has joined the active roster. Pfeiffer said the organisation sought a player who better fits the team system and mentioned occasional communication issues with previous signing cairne. He described n0te as mechanically strong and in need of match confidence: ‘He has surreal aim… he just needs to be built up as a player.’

Support staff have changed as well. Coach and support roles were reshuffled: spray departed, analyst DuDe moved into an assistant coach role, and THREAT left the organisation. Pfeiffer said NiP currently does not have a full-time sports psychologist and that responsibility has been shared among him, DuDe and Richard ‘Xizt’ Landström while the team holds talks with a practitioner known as Cat.

Pfeiffer outlined a history of roster instability stretching back several months, citing pre-signings, six-player periods, short-notice substitutions, stand-in visa problems and parental leave for two players. He said those disruptions have made it difficult to establish steady practice routines and consistent in-game habits.

On match dynamics, Pfeiffer described moments of hesitation when the team moves off its initial plan and needs to switch to alternative approaches. He emphasized the importance of small, shared actions in mid-round play to avoid indecision. ‘It’s kind of hard sometimes to know which NIP shows up,’ he said. NiP are scheduled to face Astralis on August 16 at the Esports World Cup and aim to secure a Major spot to influence next season’s invites.