Thorin Explains Why s1mple Can Still Return to the Top in CS2 — “He Hates Losing”

Esports analyst Duncan “Thorin” Shields believes Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev still has the mindset required to become the best Counter-Strike 2 player in the world again.

According to Thorin, the Ukrainian superstar has always been driven by one defining trait: he hates losing and hates the idea that someone could be better than him.

In Thorin’s words (translated from Russian recap):

s1mple “bloody hates losing and hates realizing someone might be better than him.”

The analyst says this mentality is the key condition for a real comeback. If s1mple truly believes he can surpass modern stars like donk or ZywOo, he has the internal drive needed to return to No.1.

Thorin even described a hypothetical scenario: if you gave s1mple a “truth serum” and asked whether he could become better than donk within a year on equal teams, Thorin is convinced s1mple would answer yes — and genuinely believe it.

The pressure of reputation in CS2

Thorin recently highlighted another issue affecting the superstar: expectations.

Despite spending months away from tier-1 LAN competition, fans still expect s1mple to be the best player in the server almost every match. According to the analyst, when critics can’t attack his gameplay, they often turn to personal criticism instead.

This reflects how high the baseline remains for one of Counter-Strike’s most decorated players.

BCGame’s IEM Krakow 2026 performance

BCGame finished 13–16th at IEM Krakow 2026, losing to Vitality and FaZe in Group B.

After the elimination, s1mple publicly admitted the team made mistakes:

“The results could have been better. We made many mistakes, but we’ll learn from them.”

Coach Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas gave a brief reaction after the exit:

“Nothing to say. GG.”

While the placement was disappointing, the event became a major checkpoint for evaluating the new roster.

What pro players are saying about s1mple in CS2

apEX: comeback will be difficult — but respect remains

Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire praised s1mple’s level while acknowledging the challenge ahead.

“He has always been a great player. Now it will be hard for him to reach exactly the same peak.”

apEX added that s1mple still plays strong Counter-Strike and remains dangerous in clutch situations.

broky: s1mple was stronger in CS:GO — but improving in CS2

FaZe AWPer Helvijs “broky” Saukants compared eras rather than dismissing the player.

“In CS:GO he was much stronger than me. If he keeps playing like now, he will continue improving.”

This reflects a common sentiment: the level is still high, but the scene has evolved.

HeavyGod: individual comeback is possible

G2’s HeavyGod focused on the difference between individual form and team synergy.

“Individually, s1mple can come back. But BCGame need time to understand each other as people and teammates.”

This aligns with the typical timeline of new CS2 rosters.

sh1ro: the s1mple + electroNic duo has potential

Team Spirit AWPer sh1ro highlighted one specific positive:

“I like the s1mple and electroNic duo. If they make the main stage, they can play solid.”

This reinforces the belief that the team’s core has potential if the rest of the roster stabilizes.

flameZ: BCGame are “overrated”

Not all opinions are positive. Vitality rifler flameZ delivered one of the harshest takes:

BCGame are the most overrated team right now.

He questioned whether the team could earn invites to major events or defeat top-tier opponents consistently.

Analyst reactions to BCGame’s results

Thorin defended the team and coach TaZ after their early exit.

He argued TaZ inherited a roster that few believed in, yet the team still:

beat top-20 and top-22 opponents

pushed Major finalists on multiple maps

According to Thorin, if another coach achieved the same results, the community reaction would be far more positive.

Streaming scene perspective

Streamer PCH3LK1N offered a more skeptical outlook.

He believes:

s1mple has very high expectations for several teammates

roster changes could happen in the future

the player is not in bad individual form and could return to top-15/top-20 with more tier-1 LAN practice.

Historical context: the mentality behind s1mple’s career

This ultra-competitive mindset is not new.

In earlier interviews, s1mple admitted he struggles when experienced teammates make simple mistakes and said he constantly strives to be the best — even when he isn’t the best at the moment.

This long-standing mentality helps explain why analysts still believe in a potential comeback.

What’s next for s1mple and BCGame

The team’s next major event is expected to be IEM Atlanta 2026 (May 11–17), with additional online tournaments likely beforehand.

These events will be crucial in determining whether the roster can convert potential into results.