BIG and rigoN part ways after six-month stint

BIG has announced the departure of Swiss rifler Rigon "⁠rigoN⁠" Gashi, who will enter free agency on January 1 after a challenging six months with the team. The former Bad News Eagles star struggled to adapt to BIG's system, which prioritized a less aggressive playstyle. "He was a really aggressive style of player, and we don't actually need that, but sometimes he can bring the spiciness," team captain Johannes "⁠tabseN⁠" Wodarz told HLTV. Despite efforts to integrate rigoN’s unique approach, the synergy remained elusive.

BIG achieved a top-16 finish at the Major in Shanghai, defeating Passion UA, Virtus.pro, and Complexity but falling to HEROIC, G2, and paiN. Outside the Major, their performance dipped, exiting every Big Event early and finishing as runners-up at the smaller ESL Challenger Atlanta, losing to FlyQuest.