PARIVISION have officially announced the signing of veteran Kazakh rifler Abay “HObbit” Khassenov, who will replace Andrey “BELCHONOKK” Yasinskiy and debut for the team at XSE Pro League 2026. The move came as a surprise to many fans, as HObbit returns to top-level competition after spending the last two years with 1win and being absent from tier-one events since his departure from Cloud9 in 2024.
HObbit tasked with bringing experience
In their official statement, PARIVISION emphasized that experience was one of the key reasons behind the decision. The organization described the Major winner as a player who understands the pressure of the biggest tournaments and can provide the balance the squad needs.
The team’s CEO also underlined that HObbit’s arrival is intended to strengthen PARIVISION both in the short and long term.
The move comes after Jame and coach Dastan repeatedly pointed to the lack of experience among the team’s riflers as one of the roster’s weaknesses. With HObbit joining the lineup, PARIVISION hope to address that issue ahead of the second half of the season.
The current roster now consists of:
- Dzhami “Jame” Ali
- Emil “nota” Moskvitin
- Vladislav “xiELO” Lysov
- Ivan “zweih” Gogin
- Abay “HObbit” Khassenov
Coach:
- Dastan “dastan” Akbayev
Meanwhile, BELCHONOKK has been moved to the bench.
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Community divided over the move
The announcement quickly sparked intense discussion across social media. While many welcomed the return of the 32-year-old veteran, others questioned whether signing a player who spent the last two years in 1win was the right decision.
Some fans supported the move:
- “Good move. Needed a more experienced player in there.”
- “Love to see him back.”
- “People talked the same way when HObbit joined Gambit Youngsters. He won’t make a top-20 appearance, but he’ll bring experience and win some clutches.”
Others were far more skeptical:
- “This is wild. He spends two years on 1win and hasn’t played an official since mid-February, and now he’s back.”
- “Two steps backwards.”
- “Can’t believe 75-year-old HObbit is rolling the years back.”
The move also reignited jokes involving Jame’s style of play, with one viral post imagining the captain asking HObbit to drop him an AWP while playing with an MP9.
A reunion with familiar faces
Despite the criticism, there is also considerable excitement surrounding HObbit’s return. The Kazakh veteran was one of the most successful CIS players of the previous decade, winning the PGL Kraków Major with Gambit and later reaching the top with Cloud9.
His first matches with PARIVISION will take place at XSE Pro League 2026, where fans will get their first look at the team’s revamped lineup and a chance to see whether experience can help transform the squad into a consistent contender once again.
