s1mple & electroNic’s BC.Game edge past NOVAQ to reach CEGC Europe qualifier semis

BC.Game—featuring Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and Denis “electroNic” Sharipov—defeated NOVAQ 2–1 in the European closed qualifier for the Skyesports Chennai Esports Global Championship 2025 (CEGC). The quarterfinal went the distance: 16–13 on Inferno, 16–19 on Mirage, and 13–11 on Dust2. With the win, BC.Game advance to the semifinal. 

BC.Game had earlier swept QUAZAR in the round of 16, and now face BIG next in the semifinal of the Europe Open/Closed bracket. HLTV’s match listings also reflect the NOVAQ result (2–1) and show BIG as the next opponent. 

Why this match mattered

The series marked another step in the high-profile reunion of s1mple and electroNic under BC.Game—coming just days after electroNic’s transfer from Virtus.pro’s bench. HLTV confirmed the move and detailed the roster now built around the duo. 

The reunion, in their own words

When BC.Game announced the signing of electroNic, s1mple publicly welcomed his former NAVI teammate with a short message on X: “Time to shine, friend.” 

Upon joining BC.Game in July, s1mple framed the whole project as a deliberate “step back to move forward,” posting:

“I just want to play, BC.Game gave me the chance… One wise man said, if you want to comeback on tier 1 scene, you need to join tier 3 team. I haven’t done anything for 2 years, it’s time to change that.” (via HLTV’s report of his signing statement.) 

In the team’s own materials welcoming electroNic, BC.Game highlighted “reuniting the Major-winning duo of s1mple and electroNic… with the same ambition – to become the best.” 

Related developments around BC.Game, s1mple & electroNic

electroNic to BC.Game: Official transfer announced and covered by multiple outlets; HLTV’s write-up notes the reunion and lists the active lineup (nexa, CacaNito, s1mple, aNdu, electroNic; coach emi). 

Qualifier / tournament overview: CEGC 2025 Europe qualifier dates and structure are tracked on Liquipedia and HLTV’s event pages. 

Official promo/announcements: Skyesports flagged the s1mple–electroNic reunion on X as part of their qualifier hype; BC.Game’s X and site post echoed the reveal. 

Results tracker: s1mple’s HLTV profile lists the 2–1 vs NOVAQ and the upcoming BIG matchup within the CEGC qualifier slate. 

Press/PR roundups: Several wires and gaming outlets also summarized the electroNic signing and reunion context. (Use these as supplemental sources only; primary confirmations above.) 

Quick bracket snapshot (Europe qualifier)

Quarterfinal: BC.Game 2–1 NOVAQ (Inferno 16–13; Mirage 16–19; Dust2 13–11). 

Next: BC.Game vs BIG (semifinal—per event listings).