AW on magic’s CS2 rise: “We’re not ready to actually win tournaments”

Andrey “AW” Anisimov believes magic have not yet reached the consistency required to win top-level CS2 tournaments, but the 20-year-old remains confident that the team can get there with time.

Speaking after magic’s run at FISSURE Playground 3 ended against Alliance, AW pointed to the team’s map pool and veto as areas that still need work. The disappointment came after a campaign that also featured victories over FaZe and his former organization, PARIVISION. 

For magic, the result adds another chapter to a season in which the young lineup has increasingly challenged established opposition. AW’s assessment, however, makes the team’s immediate priority clear: turning isolated high-level wins into the consistency required for deeper tournament runs.

Quick summary

Key point	Details
Player	Andrey “AW” Anisimov
Team	magic
Event	FISSURE Playground 3
Outcome	Eliminated before the playoffs after losing to Alliance
Notable wins	FaZe, PARIVISION
Main concern	Veto and overall map pool
Strongest stated map	Ancient
Major goal	Qualification
AW’s outlook	Believes magic can eventually become tournament-winning contenders
Source status	Confirmed interview published by HLTV on September 10, 2026

 

What happened to AW and magic at FISSURE Playground 3?

magic arrived at FISSURE Playground 3 with growing expectations after establishing themselves as an increasingly dangerous opponent.

Their campaign provided further evidence of that potential. magic defeated FaZe and PARIVISION, but could not convert those results into a playoff berth, with Alliance ultimately ending their run. 

AW was particularly critical of his own performance. Rather than framing the elimination as simply an unfortunate result, he acknowledged that he had played poorly individually and said the team needed to continue working on its maps.

The broader assessment was similarly measured.

“We’re not ready to actually win tournaments, to play at that high a level consistently. I think we’ll get there, it just takes time.”

AW’s comments draw an important distinction between upset potential and tournament-winning consistency. magic have already demonstrated that they can defeat recognizable international opponents. The next challenge is reproducing that level across enough series to survive an entire event.

AW identifies magic’s map pool as a key issue

One of the most significant parts of AW’s interview concerned magic’s veto.

Asked what the team still needed to improve, AW specifically pointed toward the veto and maps. He explained that magic repeatedly pick Ancient because of their confidence on the map. 

That provides a clearer picture of where the roster sees its development gap.

A team capable of beating strong opposition in individual series can still struggle to become a consistent playoff contender if its reliable options in the veto are limited. In longer tournaments, opponents gain more information and opportunities to attack predictable tendencies.

AW did not provide a detailed breakdown of magic’s entire map pool, so it would be premature to identify specific weak maps beyond what he stated. What is confirmed is that map development and veto preparation are priorities from the player’s perspective.

AW and magic: why the veto could determine their next step

The tactical implication is significant.

If magic become comfortable enough to move beyond repeatedly leaning on Ancient, they could gain greater flexibility in best-of-three vetoes. That would make preparation against them more difficult and potentially reduce their dependence on favorable matchups.

This remains analysis rather than a confirmed tactical plan from magic. AW only explicitly identified the veto and maps as areas requiring improvement. 

magic’s rise did not begin at FISSURE Playground 3

The FISSURE result should not be viewed in isolation.

Before the event, magic had already begun building an international résumé that included playoff appearances at PGL Astana and the Esports World Cup. Their performances have gradually moved the team from an emerging lineup toward one capable of competing against established names. 

That context explains why AW’s disappointment matters.

Expectations are changing.

For an inexperienced team, defeating FaZe and PARIVISION at the same tournament could be considered a successful result by itself. AW’s comments suggest magic are increasingly evaluating themselves by a higher standard: whether they can convert those victories into playoff runs and eventually titles.

AW’s PARIVISION reunion added another layer

The victory over PARIVISION carried additional significance for AW because of his history with the organization.

AW previously played for PARIVISION before being benched toward the end of 2025. He told HLTV that he had not necessarily expected to be traveling to major LAN events with another team so soon, although he continued believing and working toward that level. 

Facing his former organization naturally made the matchup more interesting.

AW described it more as the competitive appeal of facing former teammates and acquaintances than an attempt to settle a personal dispute.

The post-match handshake with PARIVISION coach dastan attracted attention, but AW rejected the suggestion that he had said anything malicious. He characterized the interaction as banter and suggested it might have been interpreted differently because PARIVISION had just lost. 

That win nevertheless provides an interesting marker in AW’s career trajectory: less than a year after being benched, he defeated his former organization while representing a team now attempting to establish itself internationally.

Timeline of AW and magic’s recent progress

Period	Development	Significance
Late 2025	AW is benched by PARIVISION	Creates uncertainty around his immediate future
2026	AW competes with magic	Begins new stage of his career
2026	magic reach playoffs at PGL Astana	Evidence of progress on the international circuit
2026	magic make an Esports World Cup playoff run	Adds another notable event result
FISSURE Playground 3	magic defeat FaZe	Significant win against established opposition
FISSURE Playground 3	magic defeat PARIVISION	AW beats his former organization
FISSURE Playground 3	Alliance eliminate magic before playoffs	Prevents another playoff appearance
September 10, 2026	AW discusses magic’s development	Identifies consistency, veto and maps as key areas
Next objective	Major qualification	AW describes it as the team’s primary goal

 

magic roster

The lineup shown by HLTV alongside the interview consists of:

Player	Team
Svyatoslav “MaSvAl” Masko	magic
Vitaliy “sFade8” Marushka	magic
Andrey “AW” Anisimov	magic
Abdurakhim “mo0N” Issa	magic
Nikita “tenzy” Kochenyuk	magic
Danila “eksiver” Yurkov	Coach

HLTV listed magic at No. 18 on the page at publication time. Because rankings are time-sensitive, that position should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent team ranking. 

Why AW’s comments matter for magic

AW’s assessment is notable because magic’s problem is no longer simply proving they can compete with recognizable teams.

They already have evidence of that.

Wins over FaZe and PARIVISION at FISSURE Playground 3 show that magic can produce competitive results against established international opposition. Previous playoff appearances further strengthen that case. (

The harder stage of development is repeatability.

Tournament contenders must survive different opponents, veto scenarios and styles across multiple rounds. A team that relies heavily on one preferred map can become increasingly vulnerable as opponents accumulate preparation material.

That makes AW’s comments about Ancient particularly relevant.

magic’s ceiling may ultimately depend less on whether they can produce another upset and more on whether their baseline level becomes strong enough that those victories stop being considered upsets.

Impact analysis

Tournament impact

The loss to Alliance ended magic’s opportunity to extend their run into the FISSURE Playground 3 playoffs.

However, beating FaZe and PARIVISION means the tournament was not devoid of positive indicators. Those victories provide additional evidence that magic can compete with stronger international opposition even though the overall result fell short of their ambitions. 

Tactical impact

AW’s comments put the map pool near the top of magic’s development agenda.

A broader and more reliable pool could theoretically give magic greater control over future vetoes and reduce opponents’ ability to prepare around Ancient.

No specific planned map changes were announced, so any exact adjustment remains TBD.

Ranking and VRS impact

AW said the two victories helped magic because the team previously had a points gap and was now “fairly high up.”

However, the interview did not provide a precise Valve Regional Standings position or exact points change. Therefore, a numerical VRS impact should not be inferred from the interview alone. 

Exact VRS change: TBD pending verified ranking data.

Player impact

For AW personally, the tournament produced contrasting signals.

His team collected notable victories, including one against his former organization, but AW was dissatisfied with his own individual performance.

HLTV’s player panel accompanying the article listed the 20-year-old at a 1.05 Rating 3.0 across 43 maps over the preceding three months. That figure is a rolling player snapshot rather than a FISSURE Playground 3 tournament rating. 

What changes now for magic?

There is no confirmed roster change or structural overhaul resulting from the elimination.

Instead, AW’s comments point toward incremental development.

The clearest areas are improving the map pool, strengthening veto options and building the consistency required to reproduce strong performances throughout an entire tournament rather than individual series.

That distinction matters.

magic do not appear, based on AW’s comments, to view the current project as having reached its ceiling. The message is essentially the opposite: the roster believes its current level is part of a longer development process.

Major qualification becomes the central objective

AW identified reaching the Major as magic’s primary objective for the remainder of the year.

He was optimistic about their chances and argued that the victories at FISSURE Playground 3 had helped the team after previously facing a points deficit. 

That makes the Major race the most important external measurement of magic’s progress.

A successful qualification would represent another step beyond individual upset wins and playoff appearances. Failure would put greater emphasis on whether the roster can convert its visible potential into consistent results.

Exact qualification status and future Major schedule: TBD based on subsequent VRS updates and tournament announcements.

What to watch next

Three areas should provide the clearest indication of whether AW’s optimism is justified.

First is map-pool development. Future vetoes will show whether magic continue leaning heavily on Ancient or become comfortable creating advantages elsewhere.

Second is consistency against international opposition. Defeating a major name once establishes potential; repeatedly beating comparable opponents establishes a new competitive level.

Third is Major qualification. AW himself identified it as the main goal, making qualification the most concrete short-term benchmark for the roster.

Related teams, players and events

AW — Current magic player and former PARIVISION member whose comments provide the central perspective for this story.

magic — Emerging CS2 lineup attempting to convert international progress into consistent tournament contention.

PARIVISION — AW’s former team and one of magic’s defeated opponents at FISSURE Playground 3.

FaZe — Another notable opponent defeated by magic during the event.

Alliance — Team that stopped magic from advancing into the FISSURE Playground 3 playoffs.

FISSURE Playground 3 — Tournament where magic’s run ended and the interview was conducted.

PGL Astana and Esports World Cup — Earlier events cited by HLTV as part of magic’s recent run of playoff appearances. 

FAQ

What did AW say about magic?

AW said magic are not yet ready to consistently compete at the level required to win tournaments, but he believes the team can eventually reach that point. He emphasized that development will take time. 

Why did magic miss the FISSURE Playground 3 playoffs?

magic were unable to get past Alliance in the match that decided their playoff progression. Their campaign still included victories over FaZe and PARIVISION. 

What does AW think magic need to improve?

AW specifically highlighted the team's veto and maps. He noted that magic frequently select Ancient because of their confidence on the map. 

Did AW previously play for PARIVISION?

Yes. AW played for PARIVISION before being benched toward the end of 2025. He later joined magic and faced his former organization at FISSURE Playground 3. 

What is magic’s main goal now?

According to AW, qualifying for the Major is the team's primary goal. He expressed confidence that magic can achieve it, although qualification had not been confirmed in the source interview.