HLTV Awards 2025: Rookie of the Year Finalists Revealed — Young Talent Spotlighted
HLTV Awards 2025: Rookie of the Year Finalists Revealed — Young Talent Spotlighted
HLTV has today revealed the finalists for the prestigious Rookie of the Year award as part of its HLTV Awards 2025, an annual celebration of the best performances and achievements within competitive Counter-Strike. This accolade highlights the most impressive new professionals who made significant impacts during their debut year at the top level of competition in 2025.
The HLTV Awards bring together multiple categories — including Player of the Year, Team of the Year, Panel Awards, and Community Awards — to honor outstanding achievement across the CS2 esports calendar. The Rookie of the Year award is one of the most anticipated accolades because it often signals the arrival of future stars and offers fans a first glimpse of players poised to shape the future of the esport.
The official awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on January 10, 2026, in Belgrade, Serbia, where winners across all categories will be revealed live.
2025 Rookie of the Year Finalists
HLTV has shortlisted three young players for Rookie of the Year, each of whom made notable strides in 2025 during their first full year competing at the upper echelons of Counter-Strike competition. The finalists are:
1. Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin — Falcon (Russia)
At just 17 years old, Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin has emerged as one of the most talked-about rookies of 2025. After making a name for himself with Spirit Academy in earlier play, he earned a transfer to Falcons, where he made a strong immediate impact.
Kyousuke’s breakout moment came at IEM Cologne 2025, where he put up a 1.34 rating, the second-highest in that event, and earned his first Exceptionally Valuable Player (EVP) award. His consistent performance continued through the rest of the year, including at the StarLadder Budapest Major, where he led Falcons in rating (1.22) and helped them secure a playoff berth.
While Falcons have not secured a major trophy yet, kyousuke’s immediate transition to tier-one competition and steady statistical production mark him as one of the most promising young riflers in the game in 2025.
2. Drin “makazze” Shaqiri — Natus Vincere (Kosovo)
Drin “makazze” Shaqiri made waves initially with NAVI Junior, where he played a pivotal role in helping the academy team rise into the top 30 in the VRS (Video Ranking System). With NAVI Junior, makazze posted a 1.15 rating and helped secure four online tournament victories in 2025.
When Justinas “jL” Lekavicius departed from Natus Vincere’s main roster, makazze earned his shot on the top lineup. Though his debut at IEM Cologne wasn’t as statistically dominant as kyousuke’s, he regained some strong form later in the year, racking up EVPs at both the Thunderpick World Championship and the StarLadder Budapest Major.
At 18, makazze brings a versatile playstyle and has shown he can handle high-level competitive pressure in international events — a key factor in his rookie nomination.
3. Danil “molodoy” Golubenko — FURIA (Kazakhstan)
The 20-year-old AWPer Danil “molodoy” Golubenko rounds out the Rookie of the Year nominations. Molodoy first gained attention while rifling for AMKAL earlier in 2025, where he maintained a strong 1.26 rating against online competition.
His reputation only grew after moving to FURIA’s international roster alongside veteran Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis. Throughout the year, molodoy continued to post impressive numbers, helping FURIA to multiple LAN victories and securing two MVPs and two EVPs along the way. While FURIA’s run at the StarLadder Budapest Major ended in the quarterfinals, molodoy still established himself as a consistent and dangerous sniper in high-stakes matches.
Rookie of the Year Award — Past Winners and Context
The Rookie of the Year award has historically been a precursor to long careers at the top level. Previous winners like Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, Guy “NertZ” Iluz, and Danil “donk” Kryshkovets have parlayed their debut successes into standout careers, with donk even sweeping multiple awards (including Player of the Year) during the 2025 HLTV Awards ceremony.
The accolade serves not just as recognition of raw skill, but also of adaptability, resilience, and competitive maturity within the tier-one landscape. Many fans and analysts consider Rookie of the Year winners as future “face of the franchise” players — those who will lead elite teams in the years ahead.
Finalists Announcement and What’s Next
HLTV revealed these Rookie of the Year finalists on December 21, 2025. The final winners in this and all other HLTV Awards categories will be unveiled at the Belgrade ceremony on January 10, 2026. In the lead-up to the event, HLTV is also disclosing finalists for other top awards such as Player of the Year, Team of the Year, Women’s Player of the Year, and various community categories like Event of the Year and Talent of the Year.
HLTV’s approach combines editorial selection for certain categories with panel voting and community campaigns — aimed at providing a balance between expert insight and fan engagement.
Fans can follow ongoing HLTV coverage, including community voting rounds and countdowns for the Player of the Year award, where the top 20 players of the year were revealed leading up to the main show.
Significance for Competitive CS2
The Rookie of the Year award highlights the ongoing evolution of competitive Counter-Strike 2, especially as the scene continues to develop new talent following the game’s launch and transition from CS:GO. 2025 saw notable performances not only from veterans but also from emerging players who have risen quickly through academy teams, online competitions, and tier-one events.
With three distinctive playstyles — the young rifling aggression of kyousuke, the steady online dominance and academy success of makazze, and the elite AWPer prowess of molodoy — this year’s finalists represent the next generation of CS2 elite talent.
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