nitr0 on retirement: "I'm leaving my options open for other games"

After a extended match versus the Oceanic team Grayhound, going into multiple overtimes across both maps, Liquid managed to secure a 2-0 series win and move onto the next round of the Group B lower-bracket. Dust2.us' Jeffrey "Mnmzzz" Moore had a chance to talk to Nick "nitr0" Cannella, for who this will be the last event with Liquid, to talk about the matchup as well as his future in the Counter-Strike scene and esports in general.

Please note that the full interview can be found below on YouTube, while the transcript has some key snippets from their conversation.

oSee has been sitting in the middle this event, and we haven't seen that previously, what's up with that?

We're just doing it because I made a joke. I was like, “hey, I wanted to try a different seating arrangement,” because I've been on the team with NAF for like 4 years and I haven't really ever sat next to him, so it was just like some fun thing that we did. It doesn't mean anything.

With your recent announcement that you will be stepping back from the team after IEM Dallas, who's been in-game leading during this event? Is it a mix or is it just YEKINDAR?

YEKINDAR is fully calling right now. I'm just secondary if he needs help and then I'll give my two cents to try to help mid-game and stuff and help with information. But it's just for me I have an IGL mindset because I've played it for so long, so. When I'm not the IGL, it's like a weird game to me. It's not the same game because I'm playing his roles, but like, I'm more like a lurker like I'm trying to focus more on like my own positions on the map and trying to feed information to whoever's mid-rounding right now.

Your recent tweet left some room for interpretation on what you'll be doing after stepping back from Liquid. Can you give us some give us some clarity on what the future holds for you after Dallas?

I’m retiring from Counter-Strike, but I'm leaving my options open for other games and stuff. If I get an offer, I'll consider it obviously, but as of now I'm just going to start my stream up and just try to just see where that takes me because there's nothing else to really do right now. I'm not going to actively look for another Counter-Strike team because I'm just not interested right now, so. There is no hidden message within my tweet or whatever. So, as of now, I'm just going to start streaming and just see what happens with it now.

If you wanted to stay in the CS scene would you be looking for a position that doesn't require as much travel, for example a coach, assistant coach, or broadcast talent?

As of right now, no, I'm not really interested in those things because I know how much travel CS entails, and honestly, I don't want to half-ass a job. If I become a coach, I want to be 100% there and not just be like “hey, I just want to sail on this event, and you know I got family." I want to, whatever I do next, even before when I went to VALORANT the first time, whatever I do, I like to give my 100%.

With this being your last event with the team as "Captain America", and it being on American soil, how would it feel for you to be able to have your final LAN event on the big stage in Dallas?

It would mean a lot. Paris was pretty disappointing, how we lost. But overall, it was a really cool experience. The Paris fans were sick. It was really cool, and I hope that wasn't my last stage event because that's why we play the game. It’s to play it in front of fans and get the whole experience and it'll be super nice to go out in the hometown.

We've seen with Liquid players in the past, when they retire, a certain person named fl0m comes calling. Is there a world where we see Mythic nitr0?

I haven't even considered that or even thought about it, to be honest, but I might be down. I don't know, maybe.

So, what you're saying is fl0m needs to ring you up right away?

If he wants to pay me. I'm just kidding.

Liquid will be playing the loser of ENCE vs FaZe Clan, tomorrow at 12:00PM.