Luminosity Gaming Return to Counter-Strike With Monte Core and lux
Luminosity Gaming Return to Counter-Strike With Monte Core and lux
Luminosity Gaming have officially returned to Counter-Strike, announcing a new CS2 roster built around the former Monte core and Brazilian in-game leader lux .
The move brings one of Counter-Strike’s most recognizable organizations back to the scene, with founder Steve Maida fulfilling his long-stated goal of returning Luminosity to the game where the brand first made its name.
Luminosity’s new lineup features afro , Rainwaker , Bymas , AZUWU and lux as in-game leader. Rainwaker was the only player requiring a buyout, as Monte still owned his contract. The rest of the core joined as free agents after their deals with the Ukrainian organization expired following the Cologne Major.
Maida reacquired Luminosity in January 2026 for around $212,000, seven years after selling the brand for more than $16 million. He said bringing the organization back to Counter-Strike had always been part of the plan.
“After retiring in 2021 and watching Luminosity, it was always my goal to one day buy it back and put LG where it belongs, where it all started, Counter-Strike. Today I couldn’t be happier to finally announce that day has come.”
Maida also credited the XSE Pro League as an important entry point for the organization’s return. According to him, the timing worked well after the Monte core became available, and the team’s performance at Cologne helped confirm the decision.
The roster arrives with strong recent results. The former Monte squad reached Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major, where they pushed G2, The MongolZ and eventual champions Falcons in close matches before finishing 12th-14th.
The team also enters Luminosity with an immediate competitive position, ranking 15th in Europe and 18th globally in the VRS.
lux brings additional leadership experience to the lineup. After joining Legacy in January 2025, he helped the team rise from around 53rd in the world to a peak of eighth globally, establishing them as a dangerous international contender.
Luminosity will not have much time to settle in. Their first official tournament under the new banner will be the XSE Pro League in China, which begins on July 1.
