Counter-Strike Star s1mple Officially Departs from NaVi

Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev has officially separated ways with Natus Vincere also known as NAVi, after about 10 years. The news arrived immediately after the 2025 BLAST.TV Austin Major, in which s1mple was on loan to FaZe Clan.

Considered by many to be one of the best Counter-Strike players of all time, s1mple's departure signifies a big step in his career, but it also represents a significant event in the CS esports world as a whole.

s1mple Ends Long Journey with NaVi in Shocking Move

NaVi made their official announcement on July 28, 2025, some far after the Austin Major, and indicated to their followers on social media that following the tournament, he had received multiple offers for transfers and decided to take up one of those offers.

NaVi communicated their thanks to s1mple for the amazing nine seasons and numerous memories.

They especially brought attention to the year 2021, when s1mple helped them bring home lots of titles like PGL Major Stockholm and the Intel Grand Slam.

Over his tenure with NaVi, s1mple achieved almost everything one could dream of accomplishing as a CS player. He was selected as HLTV’s best player of the year three times, received 21 MVP awards, and inspired countless young players along the way.

His unparalleled skill, insane precision, and absolute domination were major reasons NaVi was a top team in the world, and s1mple became the star of the organization.

s1mple’s Comeback Begins with FaZe

Interestingly, it had been nearly two years since s1mple last played competitive CS: GO before returning for the 2025 Austin Major with FaZe Clan on a short-term loan. Surprisingly, despite s1mple not playing from 2023 to 2025, he still performed exceptionally well for FaZe Clan's run to the playoffs.

His FaZe teammate, EliGE, praised s1mple, saying he brought new energy and confidence to the team. Before this, s1mple was also loaned to Team Falcons for a short month in 2024.

The real shock would come when s1mple announced his next team. Instead of joining an established organization like FaZe or Vitality, s1mple signed with BC Game, a crypto-backed esports team that only joined the Counter-Strike scene in 2024.

Their best result so far has been a 13 to 16 finish at IEM Dallas, which raises many questions about their capabilities. Many in the community still question their legitimacy. However, s1mple expressed on Twitter that this is precisely the challenge he is seeking.

He added that if someone aspires to return to Tier 1, they should begin with a Tier 3 team. He also concluded by saying that he was finally ready to stop wasting time and make a full return to competitive esports.

Written by : Ashish Jha, India Today Gaming