Is s1mple returning to CS2? Here's what we know

S1mple is one of, if not the most beloved Counter-Strike players around. The professional Ukrainian player has dominated the charts for so long with his amazing AWP skills and game sense while wowing the audience countless times in the multiple tournaments he has participated in.

However, s1mple took a break to focus on his life back in October of 2023, leaving fans wondering when the professional player will return to the CS scene. Fortunately, it seems as though he might be coming back sooner rather than later, as suggested by a comment he made on X.

Here’s what we know about s1mple’s potential return to the spotlight.

Who is s1mple?

Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev is a professional Ukrainian Counter-Strike player. He is well known in the CS competitive community for his AWP skills and game sense and has participated in countless tournaments. 

Since the release of CS2, s1mple has only played a single competitive match after dropping the game temporarily in October 2023. After that point, the only match he played was at the BLAST Premier Spring Showdown as a stand-in for Team Falcons on March 7, 2024.

Why did s1mple leave CS2?

s1mple told his fans on October 26 that he needed to "take care of people in his life" and "fix documents". While he never stated it as a reason when he started his break, s1mple has frequently shared his dislike for CS2, which could be one major reason why he took a hiatus.

Is s1mple coming back to CS2?

In a Twitter thread with Duncan "Thorin" Shields on X/Twitter, the journalist asked s1mple if he will return to CS2 competitively. s1mple said it is a hard question but followed it by saying that his return will come “hopefully soon”. Although the answer is quite vague, it’s given fans of the Ukrainian player lots of hope due to the positive nature of it.

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What team will s1mple join when he comes back?

It is hard to determine what team s1mple will play for when he returns to play competitive Counter-Strike because his old team already replaced him with a newcomer, w0nderful, so it would be unnecessary and disrespectful to drop that player right after adding him to the team. If s1mple moves away from his AWP role and goes towards the rifle, he might find a way back into NAVI’s active roster of players.

Even if s1mple can't come to NAVI, numerous teams would invite him to their group with open arms since he is considered one of the best CSGO players of all time.