Polish player Kacper “xKacpersky” Gabara has officially returned to Ninjas in Pyjamas, this time as a member of the main roster. ENCE confirmed that he has joined NIP on loan, with young Ville “myltsi” Vilkman stepping up to fill his spot on the starting lineup. The move concludes negotiations that had been ongoing since early July. HLTV previously reported that NIP were targeting xKacpersky as a replacement for Rafael “arrozdoce” Wing, who has now officially been benched.
xKacpersky’s path: From Young Ninjas to ENCE breakout star
xKacpersky is no stranger to the NIP organization. In 2024, he played for Young Ninjas, where he quickly made a name for himself as a promising AWPer and rifler. After a brief break and a move to ENCE alongside Ryan “Neityu” Aubry, the Polish player made an immediate impact—most notably helping the team win Elisa Masters Espoo in a Cinderella run.
We have agreed to transfer Kacper "xKacpersky" Gabara to NIP on loan.
With that, Ville "myltsi" Vilkman will step up and fill in the ENCE main roster 🔥
Read more: https://t.co/5SteCiDX1J pic.twitter.com/koiIjM1Npz
— ENCE (@ENCE) July 10, 2025
In 2025, xKacpersky continued to show solid form, ending the first half of the year with a 1.15 rating—the highest on ENCE. His name was also linked with G2 earlier this summer, though the team ultimately signed Matúš “MATYS” Šimko instead.
NIP bids farewell to arrozdoce
NIP’s roster change comes as a result of unmet expectations around Rafael “arrozdoce” Wing’s performance. The Portuguese rifler joined the team in January 2025, but over six months failed to fully adapt to the star role. He ended his stint with an average rating of 1.03—the second-lowest on the roster.
Despite some notable tournament results, including a win at Fragadelphia Las Vegas and a playoff run at the PGL Major in Astana, NIP decided to refresh their lineup ahead of IEM Cologne, where they received an invite to Stage 1.
Community reaction: excitement, skepticism, and memes
The news of xKacpersky’s return to NIP and myltsi’s promotion sparked a wave of reactions on Twitter and Reddit. The community quickly split into two camps—those celebrating the moves and those questioning ENCE’s decisions.
Positive reactions:
- @vilgaCS: “Kacper back to NIP ”
- @ForgFromFinland: “Yooooo welcome myltsi Kacpersky on loan tho is interesting??”
- @f0biaxd: “camaan myltsi ”
- @Aleksifinland: “NÄYTÄ NIILLE @myltsii !!!!” (“Show them, myltsi!”)
Finnish fans in particular rallied behind myltsi, embracing the viral meme “VILLEWINNIPEG” to celebrate the young talent’s debut:
- @1Joelz_cs, @Eeetuus: “VILLEWINNIPEG”
- @jniFPS: “MYLLYJÄ” (a playful nod to the Finnish word for “mill,” referencing myltsi)
Skepticism and criticism:
Some users questioned the logic of the move:
- @TomasBeanz: “You could have just sold him to G2, why loan him to NIP?”
- @TBleks11306: “Man myltsi is so trash, sad what ENCE have become.”
Others pointed out that a loan deal instead of a full transfer—especially given G2’s previous interest—was a confusing strategic decision by ENCE.
What’s next?
xKacpersky is expected to make his debut for Ninjas in Pyjamas during Stage 1 of IEM Cologne 2025. The event will serve as the first major test for the new NIP roster following the summer break.
As for ENCE, the team plans to use upcoming CCT qualifiers and online events as a proving ground for integrating myltsi into top-tier competition.
The second half of 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing periods for both organizations—as fans closely watch how the future unfolds for xKacpersky and Ville Vilkman.
