The Ukrainian AWP grasp Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev has been named CS:GO participant of the last decade by the ESL (previously generally known as the Digital Sports activities League and one of many greatest esports our bodies on the market). He is likely one of the most individually profitable professional gamers in Counter-Strike historical past—although did not win a serious with Natus Vincere till 2021—however his utter domination with the AWP (Counter-Strike’s costly one-shot glass cannon and a weapon that may win and lose matches) has resulted in numerous legendary performances.
S1mple’s professional profession started with the brilliantly named Ukrainian staff LAN DODGERS in 2013, earlier than shifting into the massive leagues with HellRaisers. He would have a spell with Flipsid3 Techniques and some different groups earlier than a transfer to Crew Liquid, and a semi-final spot at MLG 2016.
Na’vi has been s1mple’s CS:GO staff since 2016, with the participant lately re-signing by means of till 2025. The large prize sadly got here at an inopportune second, with s1mple receiving the award simply after the Na’vi staff suffered a shock upset within the IEM Rio main and was eradicated. However in a method, this echoes components of s1mple’s profession: he is an impressive and constant particular person performer, however CS:GO is a staff sport and that is the place the prizes are gained.
Per the CS:GO liquipedia, s1mple’s has gained “a document 21 HLTV MVP medals, a Main and an Intel Grand Slam trophy, amongst different quite a few S-Tier trophies, and has been topped as the very best participant of 2018 and 2021, and a runner-up for the very best participant of 2019 and 2020.”
Talking after the award, s1mple mirrored that ten years in the past “I might been banned for dishonest” and made a face, earlier than saying “The sport modified my life. I simply need to play, play, play.” The participant later took to social media to acknowledge the broader context of his profession and the award:
“I do know guys,” writes s1mple.”Now gonna be plenty of memes, plenty of dangerous phrases and good phrases as properly however that’s the distinction between me and different—I don’t care, I’ll lose, I’ll win—I do know this, no one can break me, by no means ever, simply don’t neglect that I’m from [Ukraine] and I’m robust sufficient.
“And don’t neglect to help my nation, we’d like this greater than anything, thanks for every little thing, because of ALL of you.”
Maybe s1mple’s most iconic second got here at ESL Cologne 2016: a 1vs2 scenario the place he was a sole AWP in opposition to two Fnatic gamers speeding the Cache B bomb website. This is the ESL video about this play:
S1mple approaches the location and, in opposition to all CS:GO knowledge and orthodoxy, proceeds to leap off the highest platform and no-scope the participant beneath him whereas falling, earlier than no-scoping the second participant within the distance virtually instantly afterwards. It’s coughs merely unimaginable. “You possibly can’t try this s1mple!” the commentator shouts, “This isn’t FPL [a CS:GO minor league], this can be a main!”
This play grew to become so celebrated that Valve added graffiti to Cache in CS:GO celebrating it—which s1mple then bought a tattoo of.
Thanks my brother for this present pic.twitter.com/ltKnyul11MOctober 7, 2016
Here’s a Na’vi documentary from final yr going over s1mple’s first 5 years with the staff. The IEM Rio main concluded this weekend, with Outsiders comprehensively beating Heroic 2-0 within the grand ultimate, and listed below are the highlights.
