Change is an inevitable part of life, as well as Counter-Strike. Today, we bid farewell to Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer and Eetu “sAw” Saha as they move on from ENCE to pursue new opportunities.
Few people have left such a big impact on ENCE as Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer and Eetu “sAw” Saha have. Joining ENCE at a critical moment, when the future was unknowable and tasked with building an international roster from scratch, they steered the team together towards new heights and success.
The synchronized thought process and style Snappi shared with sAw have been praised and recognized widely in the scene. During their time in ENCE, they led the team to the top of Counter-Stike elite twice with different roster iterations, first in 2022 and again in 2023. Together with Snappi and sAw, ENCE secured multiple Grand Final appearances, with the IEM Dallas 2023 trophy as their crowning achievement.
Our General Manager, Niklas “Willkey” Ojalainen, explains the situation further: “Let me start by saying big thanks to both Marco and Eetu for being a big part of our success in the past three years. I have been super happy to work with both awesome guys and will miss both of them.
That being said, if one thing is certain in life, especially in any sports, it's change. For us, it's now time for a change as both Eetu and Marco wanted to seek out new opportunities for themselves. We made it possible for both of them to continue with us and extend their contracts with us with great compensation. It was their own decision to make the change, and we honor that choice. I wish good luck for both of them in their future projects.”
Thank you, Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer
Snappi’s ability to hype up and help the people around him to become the best they can be, his impeccable leadership, and his confidence in the team was a driving force in ENCE’s success story these past three years. Snappi led the team by example, bringing both tactical prowess and fragging power into many crucial clutch moments.
A few final words from Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer: “I want to start out with a huge thanks to ENCE and all the people in the organisation. Three years ago, they gave me a chance to join as their captain. Alongside my coach, Eetu, they gave us full trust to build a project with our vision. I will forever be grateful and proud of what we achieved over those three years, step by step.
I have had multiple financially lucrative offers from other teams while at ENCE, but in my entire career, there has always been one factor I put above everything else when it came to my decisions. That factor is winning. Something ENCE gave us great conditions to do.
Finally, I wanna give a huge shoutout to the guys I spent all my time with. Thanks to all the players I played with, especially a major thanks to my coach sAw and my four teammates, Álvaro, Guy, Pavle, and Paweł. You were the reason I was happy, and I will forever be grateful for the bond we shared. I know you guys will still kill it on the server.”
Thank you, Eetu “sAw” Saha
Switching his role from a player to coach when joining ENCE in 2020, sAw found his place and has established himself as one of the best coaches in Counter-Strike. He has since represented Finland at the top of the international scene, being the calm and collected presence behind our team. The team could count on sAw’s support and insight in any situation, unlocking their full potential with his level-headedness and reliability.
Eetu “sAw” Saha sheds light on his decision: “As they say, all good things come to an end. I definitely think this is an end to something good, but on the other hand, you can also say it’s the beginning of something even better. The decision to look for new opportunities wasn’t easy, but I feel that it was necessary at this point in my career.
I want to thank ENCE for giving me the opportunity three years ago to join them as a coach. Thank you also for all the trust and responsibility I’ve been given in ENCE; it has pushed me to incredible lengths and evolved me a lot as a coach and a person. It was incredible to work together with the professional staff at ENCE, and with all the players I’ve coached. Special thanks to Marco, Paweł, Pavle, Álvaro, and Guy. I wish all the best for ENCE in the future!”
One for the history books
This change is felt throughout our whole organization, as Snappi and sAw played a significant role in building what ENCE Counter-Strike is today.
“Everyone at ENCE is thankful for both Marco and Eetu for their hard work, dedication, and professionalism in what we have built together over these past three years. Their contributions cannot be overstated, and we can all be proud of the legacy they leave behind.
Thank you, Marco, for believing in us just like we believed in you. That mutual trust and work ethic are what brought us the incredible results we achieved. Since day one, we at ENCE had no doubt that we had a leader who wouldn’t leave a stone unturned to make sure we have the right tools to create success. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.
Thank you, Eetu, for being a big part of the success we built, coming in during a time of uncertainty three years ago to build the next chapter in ENCE’s history. Today, we can be proud of the foundation you’ve helped us build for the future and all the results we’ve had during your time here. Best of luck in your next adventure”, says Mika “Miqaqu” Kuusisto, CEO of ENCE.
Good luck for the future, and see you on the server, Marco and Eetu!
