S1mple breaks silence on return to pro Counter-Strike after finally playing CS2 on LAN

Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyljev, the renowned Counter-Strike player, has recently spoken out about the possibility of making a comeback to professional play in CS2. This decision comes after he has finally had the opportunity to play in person and witness the updates and adjustments in the game.

The competitive scene was greatly impacted when Valve revealed that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive would be replaced by CS2. As a result, many teams underwent significant roster changes as certain players struggled to adapt to the movement and gameplay modifications.

NAVI was also part of the group. They witnessed s1mple, considered the greatest Counter-Strike player ever, choose to step down in order to urge Valve to implement some modifications. Following s1mple’s self-benching, the team from Ukraine went on to emerge victorious in the first CS2 Major – the PGL Copengahen Major – as well as the Esports World Cup.

Despite much discussion surrounding his potential return, he is still “hoping”to rejoin NAVI. However, it could prove to be a challenging feat.

According to his official Telegram account, s1mple expressed his belief that Sasha needs Na’Vi, rather than the other way around. He also mentioned that while he is pleased with the team’s performance, there are times when they lack a certain level of professional drive, which can be frustrating for him. This sentiment was shared after IEM Cologne.

The Counter-Strike legend expressed his desire to make a comeback, stating, “I long to return one day as I am tired of being idle. And upon my return, I will undoubtedly be even stronger – it’s only a matter of time.”

“I will come back stronger”Strong speech from s1mple 👏 pic.twitter.com/rzcVz5Oe0P

— Ozzny (@Ozzny_CS2) August 18, 2024

The 26-year-old expressed sadness that he is no longer a part of the team he has been with since 2016. However, he is happy to see their progress and acknowledged that he may have been overly critical.

Regarding his personal encounters with CS2, he remarked, “Playing on LAN for the first time, even though it was a showmatch, felt unique. The game didn’t require any additional assistance.”

In 2024, S1mple participated in CS2 as he joined Falcons Esports on a temporary basis for a match against Metizport.

Despite not performing as well as usual in that series with a kill death ratio of 38-49, it is evident that he has been practicing more and his competitive drive is burning stronger than ever.