s1mple on his doubters: "I don't need to say anything I'll just show them in the server"
It's still slightly hard to believe, but s1mple is back, and he's going to be playing the BLAST.tv Austin Major with FaZe Clan.
After a long break and a couple of forgettable loan stints with Falcons, the Counter-Strike GOAT will be gracing Texas with his presence, and he says "it's time" to remind everyone why he is considered to be the greatest player to ever touch the game.
Ahead of FaZe's first game at the Major, we spoke to s1mple about IEM Dallas, his former teammates and their teams in Stage 2, and whether or not he is dreaming of lifting the Major trophy.
"We have a really good chance to beat any team here"
You're back in action, does it feel good to have had the warm up event in Dallas before coming into the Major?
Yeah it feels good, but, it would be better if we played with rain so we would've understood more of our mistakes. But it's still fine, we had a bootcamp.
Now that you have rain back, do you expect for us to see a completely different FaZe?
Yes, yes. I think we will show a much better performance than we did in Dallas, we had really good preparation for this tournament, so hopefully we qualify for the next stage and for playoffs, and then we'll have even more practice. That will be nice.
What about your own individual performances in Dallas? You had some very strong maps and some weaker maps, how are you feeling about that?
I'm feeling much better than two weeks ago for sure [laughs]. There's more clean headshots now.
s1mple's last Major appearance was at the BLAST.tv Paris Major. Photo: Stephanie LindgrenWithin yourself mentally, you seem incredibly positive at the moment, is that just because you needed the break and this is the reward of that, or is there other things helping to contribute to your mood?
I don't know, I'm just happy to be here and to be playing with FaZe, it's something new, you know? I always wanted to play with some of the guys and now I'm playing with EliGE again as well.
It's just exciting, I'm excited for our first tournament as a whole team and I'm glad that we've had so much time to prepare, now it's time to show our 100%, feel no pressure, and be ready and focused, not be nervous.
The whole team is helping me to stay calm, but maybe the break helped me as well, I miss playing.
This isn't the first time you've stepped into a team in CS2, you did so twice last year with Falcons. Falcons were struggling last year and FaZe have also had struggles this year, do you see similarities between the two teams or are the reasons very different?
No, it's very different between Falcons and FaZe.
FaZe is much stronger mentally and individually, in each player. With Falcons, I think they knew some players would be leaving and they didn't sign NiKo at the perfect time, so they were waiting for him for a year.
When you know you're not going to be part of the team, it feels pretty sad right before the Major. I think Falcons still has this same situation right now with kyousuke joining them. I never had that in my teams, knowing that someone will leave, we always had the goal to play one or two Majors together and after that we would see what would happen, everyone knows he's in the team, though.
Did that time with Falcons and getting to play official CS2 games help you coming into this stint with FaZe or is that also too different to matter?
It's different, there's been so many updates from when I played online with Falcons [in BLAST Spring Showdown] the game was completely different. I remember when we played against Metizport, my first CS2 official, we lost the BO3, and the game was completely different. There was so many bugs then, but now it's much better.
Of course, when you're playing all the time, you also remember how to play the game and you start to play better and better. I think I get in better form when we have bootcamps and scrims, that's the most important thing.
You mentioned your form there, with the break you had there's a lot of people who want to criticise you or say that you're washed, that you're not the same s1mple, what do you have to say to those people?
No, I'll just show them in the server, I don't need to say anything. It's normal because when you're more popular, there's always going to be people like this, you can't let it affect you. If it's going to, then there's no point in trying.
You just need to understand that it's just the internet. I'm here, they're on the internet.
One of s1mple's last events for NAVI came at BLAST Fall Groups 2024. Photo: Michal KonkolDid you have any doubts yourself though? You've always been so confident but did you ever ask yourself the "what if?"
It's always like this, of course. "What if we lose the first game?", "What if we don't go through?", but that's just an illusion we all create, you know?
Everything happens in the moment, so when the game starts, I'll be focused on the result.
Looking at Stage 2, are there any teams in there that you think look like dangerous opposition that could go a lot further in the event?
I think actually that FURIA is interesting in terms of how they're going to play. HEROIC, they have good form as well, they can qualify for the next stage. BetBoom, too. B8 are also interesting.
When you start in Stage 1, the team has already played and is already warm, as for us, we've just got to try and we'll see what happens tomorrow with the set up and how it all goes.
There's always a chance for teams who qualified for Stage 1 to surprise. I think there'll be Falcons, FaZe, FURIA, HEROIC, maybe BetBoom and B8... maybe actually paiN as well, we didn't practice with them so I'm interested in what they're going to show. VP as well, I think they'll also go through.
You mentioned B8, BetBoom, and VP there, three teams that feature former teammates of yours, are you hoping that you'll get the chance to play against them?
I don't care, to be honest, I just want to win with my team and I don't care who that is against. I just want to go as far as we can and want to get on the stage as well, I want to feel the atmosphere, it's been a long time since I've played in a stadium in the U.S.
If we could focus on npl, maybe he wasn't ready for tier one when he played with you on NAVI, but on B8 he's gone on do be their IGL and their star, how do you feel about his development?
I was surprised when it first happened, but not anymore. He started to play better as soon as he joined, I think he got some experience from our team, and of course, he wasn't a dumb player, NAVI would never pick a dumb player.
But, B1ad3 was working with him, and I think he brings something to these young players, tells them a lot of stories of how it all happens and how they're supposed to play. It's the same with Boombl4, I think... and electroNic, those three IGLs... they stole everything from NAVI [laughs].
Maybe not, maybe not [laughs].
s1mple played with npl at the BLAST.tv Paris Major. Photo: Stephanie LindgrenIs it nice for you to see a Ukrainian team still flying the flag high in the Major and doing well?
Yes, of course, it's always nice when a team with five Ukrainians qualify for the next stage so easily. Good job to them, I hope that they surprise us in Stage 2 as well.
Well, maybe not us as a team, but the viewers and the fans.
We know you're going to want to win the Major, or at least go as far as possible, and we've seen magic happen at Majors before, but are you thinking about it at all given the fact you're a stand-in and you haven't been with the team long? What are the actual hopes for the Major?
Yeah, I'm thinking about it, there's always a chance, there's always Major magic. We can always remember the Cloud9 situation in the Boston playoffs, anything can happen. There's so many good teams here and everyone will face each other, it'll be interesting with the BO1s, because I don't like them and the fact they're random, but at the end of the day, there's a BO3 and you can qualify.
I'm excited, and I think we have a really good chance to beat any team here. It's CS2, it's just 13 rounds, win both pistol and you already have 6-0, 4-0 at least.
So, we will see, it's going to be interesting.
Is it time to remind everyone why you're the greatest player of all time?
Yes, it is. It's time.
Vitality
Spirit
MOUZ
