Dastan Reflects on PARIVISION’s Breakthrough: “It Was Very Nice to Be Happy — Give Hope to New Guys and Teams”
Dastan Reflects on PARIVISION’s Breakthrough: “It Was Very Nice to Be Happy — Give Hope to New Guys and Teams”
PARIVISION’s head coach Dastan “dastan” Akbayev spoke to HLTV.org after his team’s impressive run at IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1, reflecting on the emotional impact of recent victories and what it means for up-and-coming Counter-Strike teams.
The Kazakh coach described how meaningful it was to experience success and see recognition from the CS:GO/CS2 community, saying, “It was very nice to be happy for at least a few days and [hear] people saying, ‘Nice, you won.’ Give some hope for new guys and new teams, that it’s possible to win these tournaments.”
This comment came moments after PARIVISION secured their spot in Stage 2 of IEM Kraków 2026, which began on January 28 and runs through February 8 in Kraków, Poland. In Kraków, PARIVISION opened their run with a 2–1 victory over HEROIC — a match where they showed resilience and tactical discipline, and which helped them advance in the upper bracket.
In the following round, they continued their positive form by defeating Aurora 2–1, becoming one of the first teams to lock in advancement to the next stage of the event.
From Underdogs to LAN Winners: PARIVISION’s Recent Rise
PARIVISION’s momentum is not limited to Kraków. Just days before, the team enjoyed arguably the biggest trophy of their young history: winning BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 in Malta. They swept Team Falcons 3–0 in the grand final to lift the title, with solid performances across Mirage, Dust2, and Inferno.
That victory was especially remarkable because PARIVISION entered the tournament with relatively low expectations compared to established top teams. Their run saw them defeat well-known organizations such as FURIA and Spirit en route to the final, and they dropped only a single map throughout the BLAST Bounty playoffs — a notable achievement for a roster still carving out its place at the top level of Counter-Strike 2.
Coach Dastan has spoken previously about how the win should help strengthen his squad’s confidence. In a BLAST.tv interview, he said he “didn’t expect it, so I don’t want to be too overconfident,” but added that he hoped the victory would help the guys be more confident, acknowledging how powerful the winning feeling can be.
Youth-Driven Approach and Development Focus
One of the most striking aspects of PARIVISION’s story this season is how young and relatively inexperienced the roster is compared to many of their rivals. As Dastan highlighted, many players on the squad had never played on a big LAN stage like IEM Kraków before, making the recent successes even more significant.
The coach pointed out that, despite fatigue from travel and limited practice on maps like Anubis — which has recently returned to the official map pool — his team has managed to adapt and compete at a high level.
Dastan’s coaching style has also drawn attention throughout the season. In earlier interviews, he stressed the importance of discipline, saying, “I try to be very strict because every bad situation will cost us in the future”. That mentality seems to have helped PARIVISION keep composure in tight moments as they’ve faced better-established opponents.
Support from players also reflects the impact of his approach. For example, PARIVISION’s AWPer and roster leader Andrey “BELCHONOKK” Yasinskiy previously praised Dastan for the pressure he places on the team, calling him an “insane coach” and highlighting how this has helped prepare them for big events.
Realistic Goals Amid Rising Expectations
Despite the recent wins and growing attention, Dastan was quick to temper expectations. While PARIVISION can compete with top teams, he emphasized that their chances in many matchups might realistically be around 30–40%, rather than an even 50-50. His long-term goal remains becoming a stable top-10 team and consistently reaching playoff stages, rather than demanding trophies at every event.
He also addressed outside criticism, noting how some analysts doubt PARIVISION’s ability to win at the highest level. Dastan responded by acknowledging reality — success is difficult and percentages don’t always favor them — but affirmed that with growth and stability, the team can continue to defy expectations.
Significance for the CS2 Scene
PARIVISION’s recent surge highlights a broader trend in Counter-Strike 2’s competitive landscape: the gap between established giants and new contenders is narrowing. Their BLAST Bounty title followed a breakthrough run at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, where they performed well enough to qualify for later stages, showing they can hold their own in challenging Swiss group formats.
The victories also come at a time when the CS2 scene is undergoing strategic and meta shifts — such as the reintroduction of the map Anubis into the Active Duty pool — adding layers of complexity to preparation and performance at LAN events.
For fans and upcoming teams alike, PARIVISION’s journey serves as a reminder that with the right preparation, hunger, and execution, newer squads can break through and make noise even against seasoned professionals. As Dastan put it: the joy from winning and the belief that “it’s possible to win these tournaments and win grands” matters not just for his own group, but for the entire competitive ecosystem.
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