s1mple returns in FaZe!

Complete thunderstorm in the Counter-Strike scene, Oleksandr "⁠s1mple⁠" Kostyliev is back! In consecutive announcements, FaZe Clan have benched their former sniper Helvijs "⁠broky⁠" Saukants and secured the services of the Ukrainian superstar until the BLAST Austin Major.

A s1mple Hail Mary

After being absent from the professional scene since November 2014 and his Falcons' stand-in stint for the Shanghai RMR, a mix of belwiderment, excitement and interrogation surrounds the return of s1mple. If you're brand new to Counter-Strike, you might not be aware of how far his name carries. For most, the Ukrainian sniper was touted for longest time as the Greatest Player of All-Time. After a complicated transition from CS:GO to CS2 in the Natus Vincere jersey, he decided to take a step back from a game he seemingly wasn't enjoying. Today, everybody wonders what kind of level we can expect from him. His performances as a stand-in for Falcons had flashes of brilliance but were a far cry from the domination he had exerted on the scene in his career. Still, the credit attached to such an incredible career begets the benefit of the doubt at the very least.

Broky benched, a panic move?

It is striking to consider that FaZe have decided to remove broky from their active roster a mere month before the BLAST Austin Major. Totalling 9 trophies and 3 MVP awards up until this moment, it appears the slump that the Latvian sniper found himself in was too much to handle for his squad.

The numbers paint a cold picture for broky. Compared to his usual standards, he has not been able to reproduce the same heights so far this year. His floor may have been at an acceptable level, but today's Counter-Strike require from a sniper to be able to take over games and dominate. It is painfully clear that it has not been the case for broky in quite a while. Still, it stands to reason to wonder whether the timing of this bench is more than a rushed decision. Changing a player a few weeks before the coming Major feels incredibly risky.

Focus on short term

As the Danish leader karrigan pointed out in his recent tweet, FaZe's goal is set on the Major and nothing else. There's very little we know about the direction that FaZe Clan will decide to take after that event. How would s1mple be able to collaborate with this squad on a long-term? Would roles, personalities and preferences align? It seems like these aren't relevant questions at this point in time. The goal is to win today. FaZe shall worry about the future at a different time.

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What is fantastically exciting is to imagine the impact that s1mple and his presence will have on the rest of the squad. One could easily argue that having a first-ballot G.O.A.T candidate will bring out the best out of everybody. Hopefully, efforts will be put in without any restraint. We know have to look forward to a Major featuring ZywOo, m0NESY, donk & s1mple. What a time to be alive!

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^{Pictures courtesy of HLTV.org}