Monte Gets Buried by Its Own Fans After Mocking Bymas Over Unpaid Wages
Aurimas "Bymas" Pipiras and Monte were not going to part ways quietly, and now the internet knows exactly why. What looked like a routine benching announcement two days ago has turned into one of the ugliest public disputes CS2 has seen this year and a wave of fan backlash all piling on at Monte.
The "Shit Happens" Comment That Started It All
Back on August 24, Bymas posted a graceful farewell after getting benched at Luminosity Gaming, saying he was grateful for the opportunity, calling his teammates "family", and admitting he simply had not performed at the level he wanted lately.
It was a humble, low-key post. Then Monte's official account showed up in the replies with a comment that read simply: "Shit happens," followed by laughing emojis. That single mocking reply is what pushed Bymas over the edge and set the stage for everything that followed two days later.
How It Escalated
The dispute erupted for real on August 26 after Monte posted a video accusing Bymas, Aurélien "afro" Drapier, and Oscar "AZUWU" Bell of secretly signing with Luminosity before the Major even wrapped, without giving their teammates a heads up.
After the "shit happens" jab still fresh in mind, Bymas decided to give the full picture.
Bymas Lays Out the Full Story
The Lithuanian player came back with a long, detailed statement, and it landed hard.
Bymas explained he stayed quiet for a long time out of respect for the org, hoping things would get sorted out privately. That patience wore thin.
"Payment delays were also a recurring issue throughout my time with Monte. We repeatedly reached out asking why this kept happening and were told it would be fixed, but nothing ever really changed. Over time, that made it harder and harder to trust that things would be handled properly."
That pattern, he says, is exactly why he chose not to re-sign, and why the "rats" and "traitors" labels being thrown around online do not sit right with him.
"Choosing not to re-sign is not betrayal. After repeated payment issues and everything that had happened, we had every right to make the decision we felt was best for our careers. Calling us 'rats' or 'traitors' for that doesn't change the reasons why we chose to move on."
The sharpest line of his post might be the closer.
"If you have time to comment and make videos taking shots at former players, you should probably have time to pay the people who worked for you and earned that money.
P.S. What makes this even harder to understand is that Monte received a very substantial amount of money from buyouts after the Major, while former players and staff are still waiting to be paid what they are owed."
Monte's Reply Backfires Badly
Instead of addressing the numbers, Monte fired back with another comment dripping in sarcasm, echoing the same dismissive tone from the "shit happens" jab two days earlier.
That single line did more damage to Monte's image than anything Bymas wrote. The community was not having it, and the reaction spilled straight into the wider CS2 scene, with players and casters weighing in on the dispute.
Fans flooded the replies calling the response tone-deaf and dismissive, arguing that brushing off unpaid wages as a minor inconvenience, on top of mocking a player's benching two days earlier, is exactly the kind of behavior that keeps burning trust between players and organizations.
The topic quickly picked up steam on X, turning into one of the most talked about esports stories of the day, with the overwhelming sentiment landing firmly against Monte. Commenters pointed out that even if the delay really was just two weeks this time, Bymas' post described a pattern stretching back well beyond that.
A Bigger Problem
This story taps into something esports fans have seen far too often: players grinding through a season only to fight for money they already earned. Whether Monte genuinely struggled with cash flow or simply mismanaged its finances, the optics of mocking a player twice in one week, first over a benching and then over unpaid wages, is a tough pill to swallow for any fanbase.
For now, Monte has not addressed the specific dollar figures Bymas laid out, and the organization is dealing with a wave of backlash it largely brought on itself. Until receipts come out from either side, the community's verdict already seems settled, and it is not in Monte's favor.
Follow Strafe Esports for the latest Counter-Strike news and our X account for the latest content and coverages. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.
Featured Image Credit: Luminosity Gaming
Read more:
VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026: Tickets Pricing and Purchase Guide
League Classic Council: What Is It and How to Vote?
Old Overwatch Battle Passes Set To Return with S4 Midseason Patch

