The community noticed on Liquipedia a potential strengthening of Ninjas in Pyjamas ahead of the Portuguese LAN tournament Roman Imperium Cup III with VRS points: the team's lineup for the event includes Pavle “Maden” Bošković, replacing Michel “ewjerkz” Pinto, who was recently benched.

A Period of Rebuilding for NIP

Ninjas in Pyjamas are going through a challenging time. After the departure of ewjerkz, who joined the team in the summer, the organization is once again forced to seek a temporary solution to stabilize the roster. In recent months, NIP has been actively testing players and updating their approach to roster building, creating a sense of constant movement—but without a clear anchor point.

Details of Participation at Roman Imperium Cup III

The Roman Imperium Cup III tournament will take place in Portugal and will feature €5,000, a LAN stage with VRS points—important for the ranking system that influences invitations to major European competitions. NIP's participation with Maden on the roster draws attention, as the team will face a number of ambitious teams from Europe and the CIS region.

The NIP lineup for the tournament currently looks as follows: r1nkle, sjuush, Snappi, xKacpersky, Maden. This gives the organization flexibility, but also creates pressure—the outcome at the Roman Imperium Cup could serve as an indicator of the direction the team plans to take in 2026.

For NIP, the Roman Imperium Cup III is an opportunity to reboot the team in an offline format and test new dynamics. And for Maden, it's a chance to make a statement on the international stage after a period without a permanent club. If the experiment proves successful, NIP could regain fan interest and possibly lay the foundation for a stable season in 2026.