Oleksandr Kostyliev, Natus Vincere, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Over the last few years, Oleksandr Kostyliev has established himself as one of the world’s best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players. Having played the Valve development since 2012, the Ukrainian has claimed a whole host of accolades during his competitive gaming career, including being named as the MVP (most valuable player) in the 2018 ESL One Cologne.

With success now engrained in Kostyliev’s style of play, the 22-year-old will undoubtedly have his eyes set on future events in his efforts to solidify himself as the game’s best-ever player. So, let’s take a look at s1mple, as he is more frequently known, and consider his chances at a host of upcoming CS:GO events.

What’s on the Horizon?

At the time of writing, s1mple and his team, Natus Vincere, are soon to be competing in the ESL One: Cologne 2020 Online. Interestingly, unlike in previous years, the competition won’t be taking place in an arena, having switched to a digital approach. In 2018, when Kostyliev was named as the tournament’s MVP, the event was held at the Lanxess Arena.

Aside from being the competition’s most valuable player, Natus Vincere went on to be crowned champions, overcoming Berlin International Gaming in the final. Heading into the event, s1mple’s team holds an ESL Pro Tour Rank of third, behind Fnatic and Astralis, according to ESL One. With the competition looming, the Ukrainian-based eSports team will be seeking redemption having finished as the second runners-up in last year’s tournament.

It’s a testament to the rise of competitive gaming that the CS:GO eSports calendar ensures that competitions come thick and fast. After the ESL One: Cologne 2020 Online, the Eden Arena Malta Vibes Cup, Nine to Five 4, and IEM New York 2020 CIS swiftly follows the German-based competition.

Analyzing the Ukrainian’s Chances of Success

As per the IEM New York 2020 CIS Online’s overview at Egamersworld, Natus Vincere have been invited to attend the event. With a prize pool of $50,000, the 12-team event starting on September 6th is approaching with anticipation. For fans of the Valve development game, it will allow them to see s1mple compete once again. Going into the tournament, Natus Vincere have been on promising form. In the last ten matches, the Ukrainian team have a 70 percent win rate, so they’re expected to do well in New York.

IMG_1461” (CC BY 2.0) by KingOfEsports

As for s1mple, only time will tell if he can replicate his MVP-winning skills for the event. That said, at present, he’s in a rich vein of form, and this could help to take Natus Vincere to the title. In recent months, s1mple CSGO has delivered some of his most impressive performances from a statistical standpoint. Throughout the 2020 IEM Season XIV Katowice World Championship, the 22-year-old enjoyed a record of 14 wins and four defeats. In that time, he had a kill and assist to death score of 1.7. Furthermore, with 20.4 percent accuracy and 87.6 ADR (average damage per round), s1mple is equaling his output from the 2018 ESL One Cologne.

At the Forefront of CS:GO’s eSports Progression

Regardless of the activity, competitive events need skilled participants to attract new audiences. For CS:GO, s1mple has been at the very heart of the title’s competitive gaming growth. Since signing for Natus Vincere back in 2016, the Ukrainian has become a captain within the team, bringing not only in-game abilities, but also leadership credentials.