Counter-Strike legend Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyljev is set to make his highly anticipated return to competitive play in CS2 as he participates in the Perfect World Shanghai Major qualifiers – and he’ll be rejoining a super team.
When Valve initially revealed CS2, many veteran Counter-Strike professionals expressed skepticism. While there was a need for innovation to counter the rising popularity of Valorant, the announcement was not what they had anticipated.
Adapting to new game mechanics and features led several long-standing pros to leave the scene, including s1mple, who is often regarded as the greatest CS:GO player in history. He stepped back and took on a benching role for Natus Vincere (Na’Vi).
Despite his absence, Na’Vi has continued to thrive in CS2, achieving victories at major tournaments like the PGL Copenhagen Major, Esports World Cup, and ESL Pro League Season 20. However, the question of s1mple’s return has lingered.
The Ukrainian star temporarily joined Falcons for the BLAST Premier: Spring Showdown 2024, but that was limited to just one tournament. He expressed a desire to return after finally experiencing CS2 in a LAN environment.
Now, that moment is upon us, as HLTV reports that s1mple is rejoining Falcons for the Perfect World Shanghai Major qualifiers.
S1mple has not been a regular competitor in CS2.
He will be stepping in for the impressive Alvaro ‘SunPayus’ Garcia, who signed with Falcons from ENCE in December 2023. Interestingly, Garcia’s tenure lasted less than a year before he was moved on.
Initially, Falcons aimed to recruit s1mple during the formation of their superteam, hoping to pair him with Nikola ‘Niko’ Kovac. Despite s1mple’s brief loan to the team, Niko remains a part of G2.
Whether this second loan will result in a permanent addition for s1mple at Falcons is yet to be determined. Nonetheless, fans are sure to be thrilled about his return to professional Counter-Strike.
Falcons CS2 Roster
- Snappi
- S1mple (Loan)
- Dupreeh
- Magical
- The food
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