s1mple: I am the GOAT of CSGO

In Thorin's interview program, Oleksandr Kostyliev | s1mple addressed various topics once again. This excerpt is from HLTV's selection of Thorin's interview with s1mple, and the complete version will be released later tonight.

In 2023, s1mple didn't meet his consistently outstanding performance levels. After Natus Vincere chose to transition internationally, s1mple self-exiled, temporarily bidding farewell to the professional gaming scene. Freed from the rigorous training of a CS player, s1mple had more time for contemplation, and Thorin's interview served as a means for s1mple to express himself.

While the first part of s1mple's interview was released yesterday, the second part, which is equally intriguing, has just been published today. Interestingly, s1mple didn't mention when he might return to professional gaming. However, he acknowledged that an international lineup could make him more versatile. When Thorin asked if it was possible to play with Nikola Kovač | NiKo, Finn Andersen | karrigan, s1mple jokingly said - perhaps someday. But he emphasized the need to learn a lot within an international team before considering competing with players like NiKo.

One of the most interesting segments of the interview was s1mple's commentary on Valeriy Vakhovskiy | b1t joining NaVi. His expression was quite amusing: "When b1t first joined the team, I felt like he was a newborn baby, completely clueless about the world. He came from outside the city, so as a newcomer, he lacked confidence."

"I remember he bought a comb and marveled at how exquisite it was. I sat there thinking, 'What is this?'. It was hilarious, and I think it brought a good atmosphere to the team. Everyone wanted to teach him something, like taking care of a child. But b1t grew up very quickly." b1t's innocence was also reflected in the game, as s1mple and his teammates spent most of their time instructing b1t on what to do.

However, s1mple finds b1t's talent quite outstanding: "His aiming ability is very strong, even surpassing Egor Vasilyev | flamie, Ioann Sukhariev | Edward, and myself. He can rival NiKo during his prime. All he needs is more game time to boost his confidence."

The conversation then shifted to the impact of the war on NaVi. The war erupted during the middle of the 2022 IEM Katowice tournament and undoubtedly affected NaVi's atmosphere. "About three to four days before the semifinals, the mood wasn't right. I remember when NaVi lost the game, none of us reacted, and neither did I."

"If it weren't for the war, I think NaVi could have won more matches. I don't know how we made it to the PGL Antwerp Major finals, and it was so close to defeating FaZe."

As the discussion progressed, the topic gradually moved to CS GOAT. s1mple's picks were Mathieu Herbaut | ZywOo and NiKo. When asked about competing with ZywOo, s1mple said, "I think he's considering the competition too. Maybe not initially, but I hope he realizes we can be rivals. Perhaps he doesn't want to say this in interviews to avoid external pressure, but I hope he understands."

Regarding NiKo, although s1mple praised his gameplay, he believes that even without the AWP, he can perform better with rifles: "I'd be better with rifles. NiKo is great, but no offense, I know my capabilities. I feel I have a deeper understanding of the game."

"They said my crosshair placement was terrible, but when I checked, my crosshair position was the most ideal. But if I knew the area was safe, I'd walk while thinking and checking the radar, not paying attention to other areas."

For the CSGO GOAT, s1mple came to the conclusion: "I am the GOAT." The reason is simple: "I have achieved a lot and have been consistently competing against top-tier players like coldzera, device, NiKo, ZywOo. Over these years, I have been the only one going head-to-head with them." When asked if he could reclaim the top spot upon returning to the competitive scene, s1mple confidently responded, "Definitely."