apEX

Dan Madesclaire

France

Team: Team Vitality

Role: In-game leader

Player Information

Name

Dan Madesclaire

Nationality

France

Born

22.02.1993

Status

Active

Role

In-game leader

Team

Team Vitality

Approx. Total Winnings

$2,074,787

Mouse Settings

Mouse

ZOWIE EC1-A

eDPI

640

DPI

400

Polling Rate

1000 Hz

Sensitivity Zoom

1.6

Raw Input

Hardware

Mouse

ZOWIE EC1-A

Mousepad

CORSAIR MM200

Keyboard

CORSAIR K70

Headset

CORSAIR HS60 PRO

Monitor Settings

Refresh Rate

240 Hz

Scaling

Stretched

Crosshair Settings

Style

Size

1.5

Thickness

Gap

-3

Color

Yellow (2)

Outline

Biography

Dan “apEX” Madesclaire is a renowned French professional Counter-Strike player, celebrated for his leadership and longevity in the scene. Born on February 22, 1993, in Lunéville, France, apEX began his esports journey in 2009 with Counter-Strike: Source and quickly built a reputation for his aggressive entry-fragging style. He played for top French teams like 3DMAX and Team LDLC.com before transitioning to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) in August 2012, joining Anexis and soon establishing himself at the highest competitive level.

apEX's career has seen him represent some of the most prestigious organizations in Counter-Strike. He competed with Titan eSports (2014–2015), Team EnVyUs (2015–2017), and G2 Esports (2017–2018), achieving major tournament successes. One of his standout moments came with EnVyUs, winning the DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca Major in 2015—his first Major title. He then played a pivotal role for G2 Esports, winning DreamHack Masters Malmö 2017.

In October 2018, apEX joined Team Vitality, marking a new chapter in his career. Under his leadership, Vitality quickly rose to prominence. In March 2020, he transitioned from entry fragger to in-game leader (IGL), guiding Vitality to multiple major victories.

Notable highlights include their triumph at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, further cementing apEX’s legacy as a two-time Major winner, and victories at BLAST Premier World Final 2023, Gamers8 2023, ESL Pro League Season 16, IEM Rio 2023, and IEM Katowice 2025—proving his ability to adapt and excel across multiple iterations of Counter-Strike, including CS:GO and CS2.

apEX’s leadership is widely recognized as transformative, both for his teams and for French Counter-Strike as a whole. He is celebrated for his tactical mind, passion, and resilience. Over his extensive career, he has played over 1,260 professional matches, earning more than $2.1 million in prize money and ranking among the world’s most decorated and respected CS professionals.

Outside of esports, apEX resides in Andorra with his partner, embracing a balanced lifestyle involving family and pets. Consistently ranked among the world’s elite by HLTV and awarded “Best In-Game Leader 2023,” Dan “apEX” Madesclaire stands as a cornerstone of Counter-Strike history—known for his adaptability, leadership, and dedication to the game.

In 2024 and 2025, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire continued to cement his legacy as one of Counter-Strike’s most decorated leaders, guiding Team Vitality through a historic era of dominance in CS2.

2024 Highlights:

apEX captained Vitality to a landmark victory at Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024, making him the first French captain to lift the trophy in the tournament’s storied history. The team defeated Natus Vincere in a thrilling grand final, with apEX’s leadership and impactful plays proving pivotal in clinching the title.
Throughout the year, Vitality maintained their elite status on the global stage, earning additional podium finishes and setting the stage for an even more dominant 2025

2025 – The Dynasty Year:

Team Vitality, led by apEX, achieved an extraordinary run by winning seven out of eight tournaments in 2025, including:

IEM Katowice 2025
ESL Pro League Season 21
BLAST Open Spring Lisbon 2025
IEM Melbourne 2025
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
IEM Dallas 2025
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
The team’s crowning moment came with the ESL Grand Slam (Season 5) win, earned through victories at IEM Cologne 2024, IEM Katowice 2025, ESL Pro League Season 21, and IEM Melbourne 2025. This achievement solidified Vitality’s place in history as just the fifth team to secure this distinction, and the first with a French captain—apEX.
At the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, Vitality claimed their second Major under apEX’s leadership, becoming one of the rare organizations with multiple Major titles in the modern CS2 era.
Under apEX’s stewardship, the team also broke all-time Counter-Strike records, including a 30 best-of-three/five series win streak and an 81% map win rate for the first six months of the year, displaying unmatched consistency and resilience.

Leadership and Legacy:

apEX’s balance of tactical innovation and motivational captaincy was credited as a cornerstone of this dominance. His adaptability enabled seamless integration of new stars like ropz, and his consistently high-level performances in critical moments ensured Vitality’s resilience under pressure. Thanks to his vision and steady command, Team Vitality is now recognized as one of the greatest dynasties in Counter-Strike history, setting benchmarks in both team accomplishments and individual leadership.

By mid-2025, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire had not only added major trophies to his name, but also redefined his legacy as both a player and a legendary in-game leader in modern esports.