Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) has issued redundancy notices to its entire workforce in Sweden, according to a report by Swedish news outlet Expressen.se.
According to the report, NIP Group intends to relocate the majority of its core business functions to Abu Dhabi, where it has maintained headquarters as part of a five-year, 440 million SEK (approximately $47.5 million USD) agreement with the Emirati government. While the Stockholm facility may remain as a site for competitive bootcamps, the staff were reportedly informed via email that their roles are at risk as the organisation centralises its international operations.
Also read:
- Runestone partners with SURGE to scale Mobile Legends circuit
- Team Liquid Brazil lead steps down after eight-year tenure
- EVA Pro League signs eight European giants for professional VR circuit
In a statement provided to Expressen, NIP Group CEO Hicham Chahine confirmed that the organisation is currently reviewing its operational structure as part of its broader international strategy. Chahine noted that while the review includes planned changes to certain roles and functions, no final decisions have been made and the relevant legal processes, including negotiations with Swedish unions, are ongoing.
The report also suggests that, while management had anticipated this shift for some time, many employees were left shocked by the scale of the redundancies. Furthermore, Expressen reports that while NIP attempted to convince its Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) roster to relocate to the UAE, the players refused the move due to concerns regarding the competitive environment in the region.
Following these revelations, The Esports Radar has reached out to NIP Group to clarify the extent of this restructuring. The contact seeks confirmation on which specific business areas will be affected and whether the move impacts the organisation’s extensive operations around the world, including China and Brazil.
Key questions remain regarding the timeframe for the transition and whether relocation options or compensation plans will be offered to the affected Swedish staff. The Esports Radar also asked for clarification about the status of other competitive rosters and how this pivot influences the role of high-profile 2025 signing Grant Rousseau, who was brought in as the group’s esports division COO. While the organisation did not respond in time for publishing this article, further update will be provided as the situation develops.
As the industry awaits further details on NIP’s commercial focus and target audience moving forward, the transition represents one of the most significant geographic shifts for a legacy European organisation in esports history. In 2025, NIP held a constant presence in business headlines especially for is growing investment in crypto mining.
Follow The Esports Radar on social media:
