Luminosity Gaming Returns With New CS Roster

After over five years away from the scene, Luminosity Gaming has just announced a return to competitive Counter-Strike. In addition, the organization is signing a full five-man roster all in one go. Here’s everything to know about the move.

Luminosity Gaming Announces Counter-Strike Return

On July 1, 2026, Luminosity Gaming (LG) took to its official X.com account to make an announcement: “WE’RE BACK IN COUNTER-STRIKE!” In just a few hours, the post has reached nearly 200,000 views.

The North American org attached a link, which leads to a press release on its website. Luminosity elaborates on its decision to rejoin the scene. Notably, original founder Steve Maida will once again lead the team. LG has reportedly acquired its new roster all in one go from Monte, a younger Ukrainian org.

Maida emphasized the new roster’s importance in a quote: “After retiring in 2021 and watching Luminosity, it was always my goal to one day buy it back and put LG where it belongs — where it all started — Counter-Strike.“

Maida elaborated that the new roster’s performance at recent events had drawn his attention, saying, “We believe fully in this team, and their success at Cologne proved we bet right. It’s only the beginning for this squad, and we’re excited to see them grow to new heights.” Indeed, Monte’s roster participated in IEM Cologne and has also won the CCT Season 3 Global Finals in 2026.

The org’s statement continued:

“Luminosity signs the Monte core and IGL lux as founder Steve Maida fulfills a years-long promise to bring LG back to where it all began – Luminosity Gaming is back in Counter-Strike.

The iconic esports organization — one of the most recognizable brands in the history of the game — has officially announced its return to CS2, signing a five-man roster headlined by the breakout Monte core and veteran in-game leader lux. The lineup marks LG’s first competitive CS2 appearance under the stewardship of its original founder, who reacquired the organization with exactly this moment in mind.”

Who’s On the Luminosity Gaming Counter-Strike Roster?

The Luminosity Gaming roster is a preset five-stack that has been playing together for several years. LG grabbed the group from an existing team. Here’s a quick list of all the players:

• Aurélien “afro” Drapier
• Aleks “Rainwaker” Petrov
• Aurimas “Bymas” Pipiras
• Lucas “lux” Meneghini
• Oscar “AZUWU” Bell

Notably, lux will serve as the group’s In-Game Leader (IGL), calling the shots on the digital battlefield.

What Does This Mean for Counter-Strike Esports?

Luminosity Gaming’s current roster is new, but the org’s history goes back a long time. LG Counter-Strike was originally founded in 2015, giving the team over a decade of competitive lore. At its prime, LG was one of the most fearsome teams around. The team made a risky move in July 2015, dropping its entire roster and signing a Brazilian lineup that became its most famous. Luminosity won the Columbus 2016 MLG Major Championship (yes, we know you remember all those MLG memes and airhorns). They also took home trophies for DreamHack Austin 2016 and the ESL Pro League Season 3 Finals. CS fans will recognize coldzera from this era, who is widely considered one of Counter-Strike’s best athletes of all time.

However, LG couldn’t keep up its momentum. Results started to slip, and in 2019, Luminosity disbanded and released its entire roster. The decision also forfeited the team’s competitive slots in the ESL Pro League and ECS. LG stated they made the choice “with a heavy heart” and announced the team had given its competitive slots to former roster members, helping their careers continue. This means it has been inactive for over 5 years before the big return.

Luminosity’s return is a blast from the past for veteran Counter-Strike fans. It will also likely resonate with a wide audience. Though the new roster is primarily European, LG is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. NA has notoriously struggled to find its footing in the FPS world, and CS is no exception. NA players enjoy having a local team to root for, so Luminosity’s comeback will bolster the region’s presence. LG’s former roster was also the first Brazilian team to win a Major, solidifying its place in South America’s history.

Plenty of additional roster changes are happening: NaVi just said goodbye to jL, and BC Game signed Magisk. Stay tuned for more transfer updates and Counter-Strike news.