s1mple Named Most Popular CS2 Player on HLTV as Fans Continue to Follow His Comeback

Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev has once again proven that his popularity in Counter-Strike remains unmatched. According to recent HLTV user statistics, the Ukrainian superstar is currently the most-followed CS2 professional player on the platform, ahead of stars like Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov.

The ranking, first highlighted by Cybersport.ru, shows that s1mple’s fanbase remains enormous despite several difficult seasons, roster changes and his ongoing transition into the CS2 era.

s1mple Still Leads CS2 Popularity Rankings

While the competitive Counter-Strike scene has shifted toward younger stars such as Danil “donk” Kryshkovets and Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, s1mple continues to dominate fan engagement metrics.

HLTV still lists the Ukrainian AWPer among the most decorated players in Counter-Strike history. His resume includes:

Three HLTV Player of the Year awards

A Major championship victory

A Major MVP medal

21 career MVP trophies

Those achievements helped establish s1mple as one of the greatest CS players of all time, and his popularity clearly remains strong even after stepping away from tier-one competition for extended periods.

s1mple’s Return to Top-Level CS2 Drew Massive Attention

Interest around s1mple surged again during his temporary move to FaZe Clan in 2025. The Ukrainian joined the roster as a stand-in during IEM Dallas and the BLAST.tv Austin Major campaign, instantly becoming one of the most-discussed players in professional CS2.

The move generated huge reactions across the esports community.

Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov reacted with a short but viral message:

“s1 is back.”

Meanwhile, analyst Duncan “Thorin” Shields and caster Janko “YNk” Paunović discussed the transfer extensively, with YNk calling the move a potential “masterpiece” for Finn “karrigan” Andersen’s squad.

Not everyone was fully convinced, however. Commentator Jason “moses” O’Toole warned that joining unstable lineups as a stand-in could hurt s1mple’s long-term return to form.

Despite mixed opinions, the move once again demonstrated how much attention the Ukrainian star still brings to any roster he joins.

BC.Game Era and CS2 Transition

After his FaZe appearance, s1mple later joined BC.Game Esports, where he continues adapting to competitive CS2.

In an interview with HLTV earlier this year, s1mple admitted that he still needed more time with the lineup and believed his individual level would improve once the roster gained stability.

“Once we’ve been together for one or two months, I’ll be more comfortable, and I’m pretty sure my game will be sharper.”

The statement reflected both confidence and realism from the veteran player, whose career has entered a new stage after years of dominance with Natus Vincere.

Why s1mple Remains One of CS2’s Biggest Stars

Even though CS2’s competitive hierarchy now includes players like donk, ZywOo and m0NESY, few players can match s1mple’s global recognition and legacy.

His aggressive AWP style, emotional personality and years of elite-level performances turned him into one of esports’ most recognizable names. That reputation continues to drive engagement on platforms like HLTV, YouTube and Twitch.