Astralis captain Rasmus âHooXiâ Nielsen has stepped back from social media after receiving death threats and sustained online harassment in the wake of the teamâs 1â3 exit from the IEM Cologne Major 2026. The 27âyearâold inâgame leader, who has been central to Astralisâ tactical identity, became the primary target of abuse as frustration mounted over the teamâs early elimination. Astralis swiftly condemned the behaviour, with owner Jonas Gundersen calling the threats âunacceptableâ and stressing that players are âhumans trying their best.â The organisation reiterated that harassment of any kind toward players or staff will not be tolerated.
The incident highlights a wider pattern of escalating abuse toward professional esports athletes, echoing past cases involving stars such as Faker and prompting organisations like Gen.G to invest in legal and security protections. While Astralis fans expressed disappointment at another early major exit, the situation has renewed calls for stronger industryâwide safeguards and greater responsibility from social platforms. With HooXi not the only Astralis player targeted, the team now faces scrutiny over what additional support systems may be needed as they work to regain momentum ahead of their next competitive appearance.