Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev is yet to make a major appearance in the Counter-Strike 2 scene, having only played one competitive match since the game dropped in September 2023. Shortly after the game was released, s1mple announced a break from competing, much to the disappointment of fans worldwide.
He’s affectionately known as the GOAT of CS and he boasts one of the most impressive profiles out of any esports player to ever call the industry home.
The Return of the GOAT
Thorin and s1mple had a brief exchange on Twitter that led to Kostyliev expressing his desire to return to Counter-Strike esports. Thorin directly questioned s1mple, asking when he was coming back, to which s1mple responded:
That’s a bit hard question, hopefully soon.
It’s hardly representative of a solid return date, but it’s an indication that Kostyliev is eager to return. At just 26 years old, s1mple has plenty of time left to compete, and the fans are hungry to see him disrupt the CS2 scene. It has been a while since his last big win, though. In 2022, the player won the BLAST Premier: Spring Finals with Natus Vincere, the team he has represented since 2016. Before that, he claimed the top spot at the BLAST Premier: World Final in 2021.
In November 2021, Kostyliev won the PGL Major Stockholm, marking his first CS Major win ever.
Are you eager to see s1mple return to Counter-Strike?
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