S1mple joins team Falcon on loan

Ukrainian star and highly rated AWPer, S1mple, joins Falcon on a three-month loan from NAVI. The Saudi organization acquired the star to bolster their team amid struggles to competitively rival their competitors in major tournaments.

Team Falcon had hinted at changes to the roster previously, and their recent elimination from the Blast Premier Fall Final seems to be tipping point as the team made the immediate move of acquiring the Ukrainian. Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev takes the spot previously held by Álvaro “SunPayus” García, Team Falcon’s highest-rated player and AWPer, who joined the team back in December 2023 after a stellar year that saw him win MVP at IEM Dallas 2023 as well as ranking sixth in the world.

The GOAT is back! Oleksandr @s1mpleO Kostyliev joins @FalconsEsport on loan.

📰 https://t.co/YScQXEXoCb#CS2 #navination pic.twitter.com/fNET30UMxl

— NAVI (@natusvincere) September 27, 2024

The fairly young team formed in 2017 has had trouble finding their footing following a string of subpar performances and premature exits in major events that has left fans worried for the future. The team looked to be on the up and up earlier this year, reaching the semi-finals of IEM Katowice, but that’s about it, with no silverware to show and no major tournament won.

Prior to the move, S1mple had been on a break from competitive play since March this year and only played a show match fairly recently with Russian star d0nk. The reason behind his break stems from a disdain for CS2, as he felt the game wasn’t ready and was a far cry from what he’d been used to, CS:GO. He was also in need of a much-deserved break following an extensive career and a bloated schedule that could understandably wear anyone down. S1mple had also stated earlier that he would be willing to play for any team as long as they aren’t Russian, so as to show solidarity with his nation, which is still currently at war with Russia.

S1mple is a highly decorated CS player who has won player of the year three times, won countless tournaments with NAVI, and even has a Grand Slam to his belt. He was a key part of NAVI’s dominant era, but it seems that his tenure with the team will soon come to an end, probably after the loan spell with Team Falcon. S1mple seems to be looking forward to playing for the side in the Shanghai Major, which will take place at the tail end of the year, and is looking to go back to his winning ways as if he never left.

The current Team Falcon side looks like this following the acquisition of S1mple:

• Marco “⁠Snappi⁠” Pfeiffer
• Peter “⁠dupreeh⁠” Rasmussen
• Emil “⁠Magisk⁠” Reif
• Pavle “⁠Maden⁠” Bošković
• Oleksandr “⁠s1mple⁠” Kostyliev (loan)
• Danny “⁠zonic⁠” Sørensen (coach)
• Álvaro “⁠SunPayus⁠” García (benched)