PashaBMW: "I am looking for a team"

Pavel "⁠PashaBMW⁠" Tishchenko has been without a team since parting ways with Volna in December. On paper, his résumé should not leave him waiting for long: a 1.32 rating over 699 maps on record, sixteen titles, and seven MVP medals, including one at his first big LAN in Abu Dhabi last summer.

And yet, as the first quarter of 2025 draws to a close, the 22-year-old is still a free agent. We spoke to PashaBMW over a video call from his apartment about how he is spending his days, the offers on the table, and what comes next.

Read more

PashaBMW parts ways with Volna

It has been almost three months since you left Volna. How are you spending your days?

Mostly the same as when I was in a team. I play FACEIT every day, I go to the gym, and I watch a lot of matches, which is new for me. When you are in a team you only watch your opponents, now I watch everything. It's interesting to see how the game changes when you look at it from outside.

Have you had offers?

Some, yes. A few teams from tier two contacted me, and I had some talks in January. But in most cases the project was only for a few months, or they wanted me in a role that is not mine. I don't want to sign somewhere just to be in a team. If I sign, I want to stay for a long time.

A lot of teams say the Valve Regional Standings make it risky to change players mid-season. Is that what you hear?

Yes, almost every team says this. I understand it, the points are important and if you change too many players you lose a lot. But it also means that it's very hard for a free agent right now. The best time to find a team is after the Major, so I think I will have to be patient.

Would you consider standing in?

Of course. I did it with Heroic in 2020 and it changed my career, and later I helped Spirit and Cloud9 when they needed a fifth player, so I know how much a few good matches can mean. If a team needs a rifler for one tournament, I am ready.

Read more

PashaBMW named MVP of YaLLa Compass 2024

You won your first big LAN last summer. Does that make it harder to sit at home?

Yes, a lot. Before Abu Dhabi I didn't really know what I was missing. Now I know how it feels to play on stage, with the crowd, and it's the thing I miss the most. Online you can play well too, but it's not the same feeling.

What kind of team are you looking for?

A team that wants to win and has a plan longer than one season. The language is not so important, I can play in Russian or in English. The role is more important. I am a rifler, I want to be one of the players who takes the space, and I think this is where I can help a team the most.

Is there a point where you would consider stepping away, maybe into coaching or analysis?

No, not now. I'm 22 and I still feel that my aim is there. Maybe in the future I will try coaching, but now I want to play.

What's the first thing you'll do when you sign?

Probably call my family, they ask me about it every week. And then start to work, because I know that after a long break the first months are always difficult.