Brazilian organization paiN is considering a move from North America to Europe, seeking better opportunities in the region.
In an interview with ESPN Esports Brasil on June 27th, paiN‘s CEO, Thomas Hamence, explained that the move is driven by the desire to compete at a higher level and gain more experience through challenging competition. Currently based in Monterrey, Mexico since 2020, paiN is part of the group of Brazilian teams that spend time in North America, including MIBR, oNe, and Imperial.
Hamence emphasized that paiN is always attentive to changes in the Counter-Strike landscape, and while moving to Europe doesn’t guarantee success, it can significantly enhance the organization’s performance in the competitive scene.
Several Western Hemisphere organizations have become concerned about the limited practice opportunities and growth potential in their home regions. Some Brazilian teams have opted to bootcamp in Serbia, while others, like Case and 00 Nation, previously spent most of their time in Europe. Liquid, another North American team, also made a strategic decision to transition to a European core and sell one of their star players, EliGE.
The potential benefits for paiN in moving to Europe are evident as they are currently building a new lineup with less experienced players, including Cássio “cass1n” Santos and Lucas “lux” Meneghini.
However, leaving North America would mean giving up easier paths to qualifiers, such as the ESL Pro League via the ESL Challenger League, and other North American tournaments. Despite the risks involved, paiN is willing to take this step in their pursuit of becoming the best team in Brazil.
As of now, paiN has not made a final decision, but the possibility of another change in North America seems likely as the region prepares for the launch of Counter-Strike 2. The potential departure of paiN would be another loss for North America in terms of practice partners and competitors. Nonetheless, paiN is willing to take the risk in their ambition to excel in the Brazilian competitive scene.
