Legendary NAVI AWPer s1mple has confirmed that he’s taking a break from competitive Counter-Strike for right now. For most, s1mple will go down as the GOAT of CS:GO, with only ZywOo as his real competition. Now, it looks like he’ll be waiting a while to make his mark on Counter-Strike 2, the game for which he has had some choice words over the last few weeks.
Credit: Adam Lakomy | © ESL
s1mple’s Statement
He confirmed the news in a statement on his Twitter account, claiming he needs to “take care of other people in my life.” Given the ongoing situation in Ukraine, it’s understandable that s1mple’s priorities could change beyond Counter-Strike.
As for any potential return, s1mple leaves the door open. NAVI has been home since 2016, but he does confirm that he’s open to any offers, should they come his way. When he does return, he won’t be short of teams lining up to pick up the best CS:GO player of all time.
He even floats the possibility of a role change. The effects of MR12 have seen the AWP become much less impactful, which was always going to hurt players like s1mple. In his statement, he confirms that he’d be open to a rifler role upon his return. It’s a role he’s played before, way back when GuardiaN was NAVI’s AWPer.
s1mple’s Replacement in NAVI
Credit: Daniel Morris
Amidst the current CS2 transfer rumors, it’s suggested that young talent w0nderful could be brought from Sprout in to replace s1mple. They’re big shoes to fill, and w0nderful will need to step up if he’s going to live up to his predecessor.
Whatever happens, we hope s1mple is doing right by himself. CS2 wouldn’t be the same without him, so he should take the time he needs until he’s ready to compete again.
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