In a new episode of the All About Counter-Strike podcast, host James "BanKs" Banks and analysts Jonatan "Devilwalk" Lundberg and Dustin "dusT" Mouret discussed the current state of Natus Vincere. The experts agreed that the team is experiencing a deep in-game and psychological crisis, and the current roster is no longer able to compete with the strongest teams in the world.
According to dusT, NAVI's decline looks incredibly contrasting: just a few months ago, the team won two trophies and consistently reached finals, but after failing at IEM Cologne Major 2026 (missing the playoffs), the squad sharply lost ground. Now, NAVI is dropping out of tournaments in last or 9th–12th place, losing to teams on the level of M80. This was confirmed by their recent elimination by MOUZ (1:2) in the lower bracket of StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. The team left the event in last place, causing them to drop to 17th in the VRS rankings—their worst result in the entire history of the ranking. The experts note that their chances of qualifying for the next Major are rapidly fading.
The analysts also pointed out serious problems with the players' individual form. Hopes that makazze would become a stable tier-1 star have not materialized—currently, he, like b1t, has significantly slowed down, failing to stand out even on their best maps (Ancient and Mirage). Sniper w0nderful remains highly inconsistent, and iM, despite having star roles in the game, is statistically only the fourth-best player on the roster. Devilwalk specifically highlighted a lack of mental resilience: the players look dejected, do not support each other during tough moments, and often give up psychologically even before matches end.
Despite their in-game struggles, the organization has the financial means to bolster the roster. As BanKs noted, NAVI's successful run at the Esports World Cup 2026 brought the club $3,000,000, a portion of which could be invested into the CS squad. It is expected that in the coming months, the coaching staff will be looking for replacement candidates. However, the main obstacle to high-profile transfers is NAVI's loss of appeal to top-tier players—right now, the only things that might attract stars are coach B1ad3's authority and the presence of b1t. The analysts consider signing young talents after the conclusion of the current Major to be the most likely scenario.
As a reminder, BC.Game benches electroNic: the team changes region for the PGL Singapore Major
