Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen will make his debut for Astralis at the PGL Astana 2025 tournament. The player shared how the last ten months away from the professional scene have been, his impressions of returning to the team, and his plans for the upcoming tournament.

A History of Successes and Challenges
HooXi left G2 Esports in 2024 after a series of setbacks. During his 10 months off the scene, he focused on personal training and improving his physical condition. Meanwhile, Astralis was grappling with its own challenges, struggling with a lack of consistent results. Inviting HooXi was an attempt to shake up the team and restore it to a leading position.

A New Perspective on the Team
At PGL Astana 2025, HooXi will play for Astralis for the first time. According to him, preparation for the tournament was done in a short time frame, but the team's attitude remains optimistic. He acknowledges that significant changes can't be achieved in nine days of training, but he sees potential in the team. HooXi shared his thoughts on the transition:

I don't feel pressure. The team's results before were far from ideal. Of course, nine days of training aren't enough to fix everything. But I was pleasantly surprised by the level of play and understanding among the guys. I think, over time, we can achieve a lot.
Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen

Preparation took place in an online bootcamp format, allowing the team to focus on the main aspects of the game:

We focused on the fundamental aspects and improving them. Of course, we had to change a lot due to different play styles, but we kept some elements from the old system.
Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen

Returning to communication in Danish was a relief for HooXi:

It's easier to relax and joke in your native language, which simplifies long gaming days.
Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen

HooXi left G2 Esports in mid-2024 after a series of tournament failures. He spent the last 10 months away from the professional scene, training individually. His arrival at Astralis was the team's attempt to emerge from a prolonged crisis and regain competitiveness on the international stage.