On July 28, 2025, the Counter-Strike world was stunned when BC.Game Esports announced they had signed Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev. After nine years at Natus Vincere, the player universally recognized as the greatest CS player of all time was joining a team ranked 67th in the world. The story behind this move is one of the most fascinating chapters in CS2 history.
s1mple's Road Back to Competition
s1mple had been largely inactive from competitive play for an extended period before making his return in early 2025. He first stepped in as a stand-in for FaZe Clan at IEM Dallas 2025 and the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. His performance improved dramatically with each tournament, and at the Austin Major he helped FaZe reach the playoff bracket, prompting widespread discussion about a permanent return.
Why BC.Game and Not a Top-Tier Team?
Natus Vincere received multiple transfer offers for s1mple following the Austin Major and forwarded them all to him for consideration. In a decision that surprised many, s1mple personally selected BC.Game Esports from several options. The player later cited former NAVI coach B1ad3's advice: "If you want to get back to Tier 1, start with Tier 3." This philosophy of gradual rebuilding rather than jumping straight back into the spotlight defined his choice.
Community Reaction
The CS2 community was divided. Some fans celebrated s1mple's return to active competition and respected his self-aware approach to rebuilding. Others felt he deserved to be competing for Major titles immediately. Reddit threads about the signing drew hundreds of comments, with many noting that BC.Game's win rate jumped to 64% in s1mple's first month with the team.
BC.Game's Transformation
At the time of the signing, BC.Game was ranked 67th globally and competing primarily in tier-2 and tier-3 events. Within months, the team climbed to a world ranking of 19, qualified for IEM Krakow 2026, and became one of the most-watched teams in the world. The s1mple signing was the catalyst for an ambitious rebuild that eventually brought in electroNic and the SAW core to form the 2026 superteam.