Aussie CS2 org Grayhound shuts up shop, releases team days after Asia RMR defeat

Australian-based esports organization Grayhound Gaming has closed its doors after nearly eight years at the top of Oceanic Counter-Strike. The decision comes days after the squad’s unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the PGL Copenhagen Major at the Asia RMR.

A post to Grayhound’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on March 3 confirmed the end of the organization’s run and for any parties interested in acquiring the squad reach out to Grayhound owner William Gray directly. “After such a monumentally long run from such a small and forgotten corner of this world, the dream is unfortunately over,” the statement read.

Captain Chris “dexter” Nong, who recently returned to the org after a stint in Europe and who has a storied history with the ‘Hounds, thanked Gray for his support of the players and team over the year. Dexter confirmed the team would be sticking together—they currently hold qualification spots for IEM Chengdu and IEM Dallas, as well as ESL Pro League—but were on the hunt for a new home to represent.

It’s a somber day among the Oceanic esports community with Grayhound’s closure marking the end of an era in Australian Counter-Strike. The org began operations in 2017, acquiring Team Immunity after its exit from CS:GO, and for the most part the operation was run by Gray alongside the team’s coaches.

The GH banner was flown at five CS:GO majors, starting with the IEM Katowice Major in 2019, as well as countless tier-one events, with the org acting as a vessel for Oceania’s best players and a stepping stone for many onto teams beyond. GH hit the pause button in 2019 after Renegades acquired the roster, but the bulk of the team found its way back at Grayhound after Order ceased operations in 2022.

The team proved themselves head and shoulders above the rest of the Oceanic region in Counter-Strike, but their shock defeat at the PGL Copenhagen Major Asia RMR last week to Lynn Vision spelled doom for the outfit. Without Major attendance and the sticker money it provides, GH obviously could not continue without suffering extreme losses given the rising costs of running the team.

Ex-Grayhound will continue to compete domestically before their next international event—IEM Chgengu—kicks off in early April.