Ahead of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, a resonant incident unfolded online between HEROIC and Ninjas in Pyjamas. The Danish organization attempted to publicly mock their opponents, but in response received counter-trolling that quickly went viral. The incident immediately drew the attention of the analytical community, as the conflict emerged at a moment when both teams approach the Major with unstable results.
Background of the Incident
The trigger was a post from one of NiP’s players, where a screenshot of his pick’ems showed the team placed in the 0–3 slot. HEROIC used this as an opportunity to mock them, claiming that NiP were “so weak that even their own players put them at 0–3.” The post quickly gained traction — tens of thousands of interactions across social media.
In response, the official NiP account posted a counter-comment, stating that they couldn’t find HEROIC among the participants to place them in the same category. The reply instantly shifted the tone of the discussion and turned the original trolling into a situation where HEROIC ended up as the target of ridicule.
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NiP: Decline in Form and Reliance on Micro-Individuality
Ninjas in Pyjamas approach the Major ranked #30 in the world, with a series of inconsistent results. Recent LAN tournaments highlighted structural issues:
- 43.8% win rate over the last three months
- early exits at PGL Masters Bucharest
- team performance heavily dependent on the individual form of r1nkle (1.10), sjuush (1.14), and ewjerkz (1.08)
Despite this, the team has a stable lineup structure and an experienced coach, Xizt, and they have shown improvement in recent Bo3 series against top-20 teams.
HEROIC: Ranking Advantage but Similar Problems
HEROIC sit higher — #16 in the world — but their form is also far from peak:
- 42.9% win rate over the last three months
- 9–12th place at IEM Chengdu
- 5–8th place at PGL Bucharest
- no stable winning streaks in recent weeks
The current lineup of LNZ, xfl0ud, yxngstxr, nilo, and Alkaren shows potential but lacks a clear tactical backbone.
Why the Incident Became Significant
From an analytical standpoint, the situation reflects several important trends within the professional scene:
- Rising importance of social platforms in shaping narratives before tournaments.
Even a brief exchange of remarks can influence public perception of teams. - High sensitivity to reputational and psychological factors ahead of the Major.
Both teams lack stability, making them more vulnerable to external pressure and online engagement. - Increased tension surrounding results.
HEROIC, despite their ranking, face similar performance issues, making their attempt at trolling backfire — the context doesn’t support a credibility-based advantage.
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Time will tell
The public exchange of trolling between HEROIC and NiP became not only an internet episode, but also a reflection of the current state of both teams. They approach the end of the season in unstable form, and for this reason any informational action triggers amplified reactions. Time will tell whether the teams can use the incident as motivation, or if it will only intensify the existing pressure they face.
