HEROIC have hired Jesper “Udknud” Larsen as VRS & Data Analyst, creating a role focused on Valve Regional Standings, tournament scheduling and qualification planning.
Udknud is known in the Counter-Strike community for his VRS simulations and breakdowns of Major qualification races. The move comes as HEROIC continue fighting for an invitation to PGL Singapore Major 2026.
HEROIC CREATE VRS & DATA ANALYST ROLE
HEROIC announced the appointment on October 15, presenting Udknud as the newest addition to the organization.
We’ll never miss the Major again 🤞
Welcome our VRS & Data Analyst @JesperLarsen222 📈 https://t.co/0vOf19G0Vw
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) October 15, 2026
The analyst has regularly published calculations showing how tournament results, event selection and roster moves can affect VRS positions and Major qualification chances.
The role reflects the growing importance of scheduling under the current Valve ranking system, where choosing which events to attend can have a direct effect on qualification opportunities.
Joachim Harg, CEO of HEROIC, explained that tournament selection has become an important part of competing under VRS.
Since the introduction of VRS, tournament scheduling has become incredibly important.
Harg added that while results can never be guaranteed, the organization wants to make sure it competes in the events that matter most for its ranking goals.
UDKNUD WILL HELP PLAN THE ROAD TO THE MAJOR
Udknud has become one of the most visible VRS analysts in the scene through simulations covering qualification probabilities, ranking changes and different tournament scenarios.
His work has also examined how roster changes can affect VRS eligibility and which events teams need to prioritize before Major invitation cutoffs.
The appointment is an unusual step for a professional Counter-Strike organization, with HEROIC effectively bringing that type of ranking analysis directly into the team structure.
According to Dust2.us, it is the first dedicated VRS-focused position of its kind reported in Counter-Strike 2.
HEROIC CONTINUE SINGAPORE MAJOR RACE
The move comes during the final weeks of qualification for PGL Singapore Major 2026.
Udknud estimated the chance for HEROIC to reach the Major at 75.5% around the time of the announcement. The organization had previously explained that recent results moved the team from outside the projected invitation range into a much stronger position.
HEROIC are also competing at Stake Pulse Beat III, where additional results can further affect the final VRS position before the November 2 cutoff.
The new role gives the organization a dedicated analyst for navigating those scenarios as the Major race enters its final stage.
