"When I was a child, I remember watching them play, the whole 87-0 lineup" - r1nkle on carrying the torch for Ninjas in Pyjamas' legacy [Exclusive]

Twenty-year-old Artem "r1nkle" Moroz is the latest talent in the Ninjas in Pyjamas Counter-Strike 2 squad as the primary AWPer. Having watched the NiP team play as a child, r1nkle now represents the same team's spirit, bringing in a dash of aggressive play and strategy. With the evolution of CS:GO to CS2, he represents the next generation of players who will take center stage in the years to come.

With Ninjas in Pyjamas turning 25 years old in June 2025, I had the chance to interview r1nkle and talk about how his fresh talent and aggressive style gel with the team.

Read on to know r1nkles thoughts on the challenging competitive landscape of CS2 and his aspirations for NiP's future.

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r1nkle talks about how his aggressive style became more balanced and synergized with the Ninjas in Pyjamas team

Q: NiP has a rich history in Counter-Strike. How does being part of such a legendary team with a stellar record influence you?

r1nkle: I mean, I'm very grateful to play in this organization, because like, when I was a child, I remember watching them play, the whole 87-0 lineup, you know. And it was kind of inspiring. The 87-0 win lineup, and even after that a lot — I don't really remember all of it. But yeah, I remember I was watching them a lot when I was a kid. And now I'm here, and it's very, very enjoyable, I would say.

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Q: Looking back at recent tournaments, are there any specific rounds or matches you feel particularly proud of?

r1nkle: I mean, I guess when we played versus, Fire Flux on d2 (dust_2 map). I hit two jumping no-scopes with a scout on short, which was kind of fun. That's kind of what I remember as a highlight. But yeah, like, every match was pretty good, I would say.

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Q: I have watched some of your matches and you generally try to be an aggressive player. You’re an AWPer, and you get to angles quickly, snipe someone down and immediately capitalize on that - how well does your style mix in with the current team?

r1nkle: Before this lineup, I was very, very aggressive. I was doing, like, actually everything I could do in the game. Like, if I look at it right now, it's kind of the wrong gameplay, I would say. Because, when sjuush and Snappi joined, and we got the new lineup, we actually started playing more structured, I would say. And I feel like I don't need to overdo stuff.

I would say I am still an aggressive player, and also, I like to do plays with a rifle a lot. But now I kind of balance it, you know? So, it feels, um, it feels, like, good.

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Q: You have managed to win quite a few clutch scenarios - something that requires you to make a lot of split-second decisions. Doing this while sitting on a grand stage with a massive crowd is an impressive feat. Can you walk us through your thought process during a clutch scenario?

r1nkle: When I'm playing the clutch, I'm not really thinking about what I should do. Like, I'm usually trusting my gut feeling and playing on flow. Only if I see some real gaps in the opponents, or say they're rotating a lot, then it's different.

For example, if I'm T (Terrorist side) I try to think like, "What's the timings and stuff?" That's the only time I think in the clutch. But, if things are happening really fast, for example, in the late stage of the clutch, I generally just trust my gut feeling and my aim, and yeah, I'm just kind of doing it.

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Q: You are one of the youngest players in the competitive scene, and you have managed to beat some of the most seasoned players already. With the rise of new talent in the scene, which players or teams do you find particularly challenging or interesting to compete against?

r1nkle: Right now it's pretty tough for me to say, because we are not in tier one. And, if I name teams, it's of course without a doubt Falcons in the future, for sure. They're building a really good roster. But right now, we are playing against, like, tier two and three teams, and I would say, they're...everyone's kind of the same. Like, it's a bit different if you look at tier one, because you don't need to do that much prep because you have many matches.

So, it's kind of tough to know the other teams' habits. So we just play your default game, I would say. So, right now, I don't really find someone tough to play against. But, for me, right now, it will be interesting to play versus Vitality. They are dominating everyone.

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Q: NiP has seen generational duos who have made a mark out there - it was Potti and HeatoN when the organization began, and then we had f0rest and GeT_RiGhT. Is there somebody in the current team with whom you synergize the best?

r1nkle: I guess it's kind of tough right now. Because, I feel I can play with anyone on the team right now, I would say. But I would highlight sjuush because he has a lot of experience, and he always makes the right decisions, most of the time, of course. We are not perfect, but, yeah, 99% of the time, he makes really good decisions, and he has a really sharp aim. Um, so, yeah, I would say right now it's sjuush.

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Q: The 87-match win streak is a legendary feat that NiP had acquired. Beating that stellar record is a tough feat, but do you think you could perhaps beat that and set a higher bar? (f0rest said he does not think so.)

r1nkle: I mean if f0rest said so, it's probably going to be very difficult (laughs). But yeah it's like 1% chance. The scene is very competitive and it will be very difficult to have that kind of a streak going. But, yeah, anything is possible, of course, if you believe.

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Q: As someone in the professional scene, the transition from CSGO to CS2 was particularly important for you, since the tournaments adjusted to the newer variant quickly. Given that the community reception has not been that great, where do you see the Counter-Strike 2 competitive scene heading in the next year or two?

r1nkle: Of course, it's not really perfect now because you have a bigger advantage. And sometimes, the bullets, they're just not hitting, I would say. And it's all about subtick. And I do really hope they fix the subtick thing. But, on the other hand, I think that's what makes this game different from CS:GO.

But, yeah, I pretty much enjoy Counter-Strike 2 right now because I know how to play it (laughs). You cannot play it like in CS:GO. You need to understand that you need to basically take more duels, and not to be scared to do it, and know how to do it right.

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Q: So would you say there has been a major dynamic shift in the gameplay style of CS:GO and CS2?

r1nkle: Yeah, it's like CS2 is more dynamic because of the smokes and the swings that you need to do. Like, people are just relying on their aim a lot more I would say. For me, right now, you don't have to stress about double or triple fakes like in CS:GO. You just need to go, like, as a group right now and just destroy the enemy. Of course, not always, but most of the time.

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Q: Outside of the game itself, what are some of your interests or hobbies that help you unwind and recharge?

r1nkle: I really like to walk and listen to music at the same time alone. And of course, I like to hang out with my friends. But, yeah, I don't really have a hobby as such. I sometimes follow basketball, but I'm not really following it 100%. But, yeah. I used to watch a lot of series and stuff about Jordan and Kobe, like, because they're really inspiring. But, yeah, I'm not really following it right now that much.

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Q: NiP has a dedicated fanbase. Is there anything you'd like to say directly to the NiP fans?

r1nkle: I wanna say thank you to all of them for the support. All of us in the team can really see it. Like, I can really feel it on Twitter or anywhere. People are always texting me and congratulating us on the wins, and they keep cheering us all the time. Um, yeah, I just want to say, keep doing it. We can feel it, and it's really important for us.

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