Spirit Documentary Sheds Light on Kyousuke Transfer, Roster Overhaul & Donk Loyalty
Spirit Documentary Sheds Light on Kyousuke Transfer, Roster Overhaul & Donk Loyalty
A new long-form video by Russian content studio VPISKA offered rare insight into the inner workings and decisions at Spirit — one of the CIS region’s top CS2 organizations. The documentary features interviews with current and former players, coach Sergey “hally” Shavaev, psychologist Nokeepeesh, scout OverDrive, and marketing head tvd.
Below is a breakdown of the most compelling revelations — reorganized, clarified, and supplemented with context.
Why Spirit Sold kyousuke to Falcons
One of the most talked-about moments: the departure of rising talent Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin from Spirit to Falcons earlier in 2025. Although kyousuke never played a match on Spirit’s main squad, the move was controversial.
hally admitted that, while he and Spirit were interested in keeping him, they failed to maintain enough personal engagement:
“When I flew in from Shanghai, I got a call from [CEO] Cheshir that Falcons were interested in kyousuke… One of their players was already talking to him, trying to persuade him to join.”
After reviewing demos and voice comms, hally said, “I immediately knew we could not lose this player.” He reached out and they shook hands.
But later, hally reflected, “I wasn’t leading him, I wasn’t checking in on him, I wasn’t talking to him one-on-one. That failure had consequences.”
He claimed that external influences — possibly m0NESY and NiKo — began telling kyousuke that he was overshadowed or that Spirit’s environment would stunt his growth.
In the negotiations, tvd (Spirit’s marketing head) confirmed the org was powerless to block the move. But they did ensure the transfer fetched a substantial financial return—reportedly €2 million.
hally also revealed that kyousuke was never intended to replace Danil “donk” Kryshkovets in role, though he was offered alternative positions to contribute.
When asked if he thinks kyousuke may ever surpass donk, hally responded:
“No — kyousuke’s style is safer, more percentage-based. He’ll rarely put up monstrous numbers. He’s already showing 1.30 ratings, but I speak of 1.50+.”
sh1ro’s Entry & Role Negotiations
Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov joined Spirit in December 2023 and his onboarding wasn’t without friction. He admitted he initially doubted what kind of coach hally was and whether he would have sufficient creative freedom.
“I wanted involvement in tactics, communication, everything. hally said, ‘Fine, we’ll discuss, we’ll do that.’ And he kept his word.”
hally praised sh1ro as a relentless worker — watching demos late into the night, requesting feedback, and pushing the team forward. He said sh1ro’s impact is “colossal.”
Despite donk being the designated star, sh1ro said he doesn’t feel overshadowed — the team is structured to leverage both.
donk’s MVP, Exhaustion & Loyalty
Spirit refused multiple offers for donk, treating him as their “franchise player.” tvd stated plainly:
“We are not interested in selling our main asset.” The org reportedly turned down “more than five” approaches.
“Could we replace him with a few players using the money? In theory yes. But do we want a Spirit without donk? No. He’s our Michael Jordan / Kobe.”
Donk himself discussed his MVP award at the Shanghai Major, but claimed the moment passed in exhaustion:
“It was a joyful moment … but after a month at an event, you're fully drained.”
He admitted he “wasn’t in the moment,” craving rest more than celebrating.
He confirmed that he declined an opportunity to join Team Vitality. His reasoning was simple:
“I prefer a Russian-speaking team. I didn't feel I was yet Tier-1 when they approached. I had time to grow.”
Earlier, he had considered applying to Natus Vincere’s academy but passed — in part because he rejected the idea of submitting an application or waiting his turn.
Double Roster Change: zweih & tN1R In, magixx & zont1x Out
Spirit made two roster additions in quick succession:
-
Ivan “zweih” Gogin joined from Nemiga, replacing Boris “magixx” Vorobiev
-
Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich was signed from HEROIC, filling zorg??? Actually “zont1x”’s role
tvd acknowledged that executing two changes quickly was risky:
“One change is manageable, but two in rapid succession means re-balancing the system and integrating a new meta.”
He said ideally both changes would’ve occurred at once, but real-world factors such as contract timing and player desires complicated that.
Broader Implications & Takeaways
Active Roster Management & Player Loyalty
Spirit’s handling of donk suggests they prize long-term stability over short-term profit. In an era of constant transfers, that stands out. Their resistance to buyouts for their star is a bold institutional choice.
Psychological & Leadership Lessons
hally’s admission that he under-mentored kyousuke is a cautionary lesson: talent must be nurtured beyond raw skill. The documentary shows how even high-potential players can slip if personal care and communication are lacking.
Balancing Change vs Continuity
Making two roster changes back-to-back is already hard; doing it while preserving team identity even harder. The success or failure of those additions (zweih and tN1R) will be watched closely.
Star vs Supporting Cast Dynamics
Even with donk as centerpiece, Spirit gives sh1ro freedom and prominence. This balance of star power and role identity shows the organization’s mentality of teamwork over hierarchy.
Market Value & Brand Positioning
Donk's status as a franchise player — with Spirit eschewing multimillion-dollar offers — also speaks to the economics of top-tier CS2. The organization is positioning itself as one with a long-term vision, not a selling club.
Related News
