m0NESY urges s1mple to return to the Pro Stage

As a longtime follower of Counter-Strike (CS) and having watched Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov’s meteoric rise in the gaming world, I must say that his journey is truly inspiring. At just 19 years old, he has made significant strides in CS2, and although his team’s recent performance at IEM Cologne was less than ideal, m0NESY remains focused on the bigger picture.

“I want to send a message to a man who inspired millions of people, including me.” – m0NESY to s1mple

Initially, m0NESY intended to express this particular message during the Cologne event. However, since MOUZ overpowered G2, the opportunity didn’t arise for him. Despite missing the stage, his tweet has received remarkable backing as fans eagerly wait for s1mple’s comeback.

As a gamer, I’m always on edge, waiting for that call from m0NESY – whether he’s a fan, a rival, or a challenger to the throne. Will this be the moment s1mple steps back into the game? Here’s hoping! With 2024 being a year where top teams are fighting tooth and nail for trophies, s1mple could just be the final ingredient to make the scene truly spicy.

Why is s1mple not playing CS2?

Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the life of professional gamer s1mpe has experienced significant upheaval. Known as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) in CS (Counter-Strike), he shared his struggles with living out of a suitcase for months at a time. The ongoing geopolitical turmoil unfortunately led to the disbandment of the 2021 NaVi roster, which had been on an impressive winning streak. After dedicating numerous years to achieving greatness, the emotional toll became overwhelming.

For approximately 18 months straight, he persisted with competing until the arrival of CS2, at which point the new game’s unique movement mechanics and altered AWP handling within the game caused him to cease playing. At first, s1mple was captivated by the trailer, but later expressed discontentment regarding the changes.

Just as we were all set to jet off to Sydney for the inaugural CS2 LAN tournament with NaVi, my coach B1ad3 got word that s1mple wasn’t on his way. In a surprising turn of events, I stepped up as a stand-in, doing my best to fill those massive shoes. It turned out that s1mple was taking some time off from CS2. With Ukrainian sniper w0nderful joining our ranks to replace him, there were whispers about how we’d manage without the seemingly irreplaceable s1mple.

When is s1mple coming back?

While the tweet deeply resonates with fans, analyst and pro-players alike, s1mple has not commented on it so far. Prior to the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen, s1mple hoped to be back in the server after the event concluded. But if his plan was to return with the under-performing NaVi, that went out of the window. With his ‘Play-like s1mple’ programme shutting down, this might be the perfect time for s1mple to jump back into the server. The question is, who can sign s1mple?