Falcons have officially announced the signing of Finn “karrigan” Andersen from FaZe, capping off a chaotic evening of Counter-Strike roster news that also saw FaZe confirm the Danish IGL’s departure and Falcons bench Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski. The three announcements landed within an hour of each other on Monday, confirming what had been the worst-kept secret in CS2 over the past week.

Some hear sirens, we hear the beginning of a new chapter 🚨

Welcome to Falcons CS @karriganCSGO

صافرة بداية حقبة جديدة 🦅. أهلًا بالصقر الجديد#FalconsAreHere pic.twitter.com/84bQDw78We

— Falcons Esports (@FalconsEsport) April 20, 2026

The move hands Falcons one of the most decorated in-game leaders in Counter-Strike history and ends karrigan’s second stint at FaZe, a five-year spell that brought the organisation its only Major title. For kyxsan, it closes a 16-month chapter at the Saudi-backed org just weeks before the IEM Cologne Major.

karrigan’s FaZe Exit Ends A Five-Year Era

karrigan leaves FaZe after rejoining the org in February 2021, when he replaced Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer in the starting lineup.

Today we say a heartfelt goodbye to Counter-Strike’s greatest showman.

For your legendary leadership, for the trophies we lifted together, for the memories we’ll never forget, and for the way you represented FaZe through every step of the journey…

THANK YOU @karriganCSGO ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cNS7SP2lSA

— FaZe Esports (@FaZeEsports) April 20, 2026

His return was a turning point. Within 18 months he had lifted the Antwerp Major trophy, FaZe’s first and only Major win, and he followed it up with Intel Grand Slam Season 4 in 2023. In total, he picked up eight notable LAN titles during this second run, and guided the team to grand finals at the Copenhagen, Shanghai, and Budapest Majors. IEM Chengdu 2024 stands as the last trophy he won in FaZe colours.

In a farewell post, karrigan acknowledged the weight of the moment. “I came back to FaZe for a reason, to create history, and that we did, especially in 2022,” he wrote. “It’s always been a privilege to wear this jersey.” FaZe responded with a tribute of their own, calling him “Counter-Strike’s greatest showman” and thanking him for his leadership and trophies.

Today I’m leaving FaZe Clan to start another journey. Representing this team and its fans has been a complete honor. I came back to FaZe for a reason, to create history, and that we did, especially in 2022. It’s always been a privilege to wear this jersey, with it comes the…

— karrigan (@karriganCSGO) April 20, 2026

The departure comes after a brutal season for FaZe. Following Robin “ropz” Kool’s move to Vitality, the team spiralled into a run of form that saw them miss a Major for the first time since the org entered Counter-Strike in 2016. In a PGL Bucharest interview with HLTV earlier this year, karrigan had already opened the door to walking away, saying he just wanted “FaZe back at the top, with or without me.”

Falcons Bench kyxsan After IEM Rio Campaign

kyxsan’s exit from the active roster was announced moments before the karrigan signing went official. The Macedonian IGL joined Falcons in January 2025 alongside René “TeSeS” Madsen and Abdul “degster” Gasanov, and spent 16 months building the project into a consistent finalist. Under his leadership, Falcons lifted the PGL Bucharest trophy and finished runner-up at six other events, most recently at the BLAST Bounty Finals in January.

The decision followed Falcons’ third-place finish at IEM Rio on Sunday. kyxsan reacted to the news with composure on X. “Unfortunate timing to receive the news with the Cologne Major coming up very soon, but the organization felt like a change is needed and I respect their decision,” he wrote. “It was still a good experience for me and it was a pleasure to be part of a team with so much potential.”

Today I was moved to the bench by Falcons. Unfortunate timing to receive the news with the Cologne Major coming up very soon, but the organization felt like a change is needed and I respect their decision.

I am sad that we couldn’t make it work in Falcons, we had good chances to… https://t.co/uwKAAGOoUk

— kyxsan (@kyxsancs) April 20, 2026

Read More: Team Vitality Win IEM Rio 2026, Make Counter-Strike History With Back-To-Back ESL Grand Slams

Read More: Furia FalleN Announces CS2 Retirement at End of 2026 During Emotional IEM Rio Speech

Reuniting With NiKo And zonic

The signing sees karrigan reunite with Nikola “NiKo” Kovač for the first time since 2018. The pair spent two years together on FaZe between 2016 and 2018, a partnership that produced seven titles and cemented both players’ reputations at the top of the scene. Coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen is another familiar face, having worked alongside karrigan during his Astralis days a decade ago.

The appeal for Falcons is obvious. Since signing the HEROIC core in January 2025, the roster has reached seven grand finals but only converted one, lifting the trophy at PGL Bucharest. Bringing in a leader of karrigan’s pedigree is a clear bid to turn those deep runs into silverware, particularly with the IEM Cologne Major on the horizon.

The New Rosters Heading Into The Cologne Major

Both teams now head into a busy stretch of the calendar with reshaped lineups and plenty to prove.

Falcons’ next outing comes at PGL Astana, which kicks off on May 9 and gives karrigan a short runway to settle in before Cologne. FaZe have a trickier path. With no fifth player officially confirmed, reports suggest ENCE’s benched rifler Ryan “Neityu” Aubry will stand in at BLAST Rivals Season 1 from April 29 to May 3 and IEM Atlanta from May 11 to 17. The team recently appointed Niclas “enkay J” Krumhorn as head coach, signalling that a longer rebuild is now underway.

For Falcons, the karrigan era begins immediately. For FaZe, the post-karrigan era is a blank page.

The post karrigan Joins Falcons From FaZe As kyxsan Benched Ahead Of IEM Cologne Major appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Finn “karrigan” Andersen is reportedly set to leave FaZe and join Falcons ahead of the IEM Cologne Major, according to French insider Sebastien “KRL” Perez. The report has been corroborated by HLTV’s own sources, with the move expected to go through after Falcons wrap up their run at IEM Rio.

Sources : 🇩🇰 karrigan set to join Falcons before Cologne Major. pic.twitter.com/LTaUmUgWfu

— KRL (@KRL_STREAM) April 12, 2026

The Danish veteran is expected to replace current Falcons in-game leader Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski, ending a tenure that stretched over a year and a half. If the move goes ahead as reported, it would mark Falcons’ first roster change since the team brought in Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin back in June 2025.

FaZe’s Major Drought Forced karrigan’s Hand

The timing of this move is no coincidence. Just over a week ago, FaZe failed to qualify for the IEM Cologne Major after a string of poor results at tier-one events. The international roster fell short in both DraculaN Season 6 and HLC Belgrade PRO, leaving them just outside the ranking cutoff needed to secure a spot at the Major.

Speaking after FaZe’s elimination from PGL Bucharest, karrigan was candid about the situation. He acknowledged the results were far below what he accepts as a leader and revealed he had already told FaZe he was willing to step down if it meant getting the organisation back on track. At the time, there was no public indication he had another destination lined up, let alone a team of Falcons’ calibre.

Falcons Looking For A Leadership Upgrade

For all the firepower on Falcons’ roster, trophies have been hard to come by. Since the kyousuke signing, the team’s best results have been runner-up finishes at ESL Pro League Season 22, BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 2, and BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1. That is a lot of deep runs without a title for a squad featuring m0NESY and NiKo, and the community has been vocal about the need for a leadership change to unlock the roster’s potential.

karrigan fits that bill better than almost anyone in the scene. His track record of elevating star-studded rosters is well documented, and bringing him in to captain a team with this much individual talent is exactly the kind of move Falcons needed to make if they want to convert those runner-up finishes into championships.

Reuniting With NiKo And zonic

The move would see karrigan reunite with Nikola “NiKo” Kovač for the first time in over seven years. The pair famously played together on FaZe during 2017 and 2018, a period that included multiple tournament wins and a grand final appearance at the ELEAGUE Boston Major. karrigan would also be working alongside coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen again, having previously been part of the Astralis lineup together in 2016.

What It Means For Both Rosters

Falcons still have IEM Rio to play before any change is expected to take effect. After that, the team has PGL Astana and the CS Asia Championships scheduled for May, giving karrigan time to settle in ahead of the Cologne Major.

With this change, the projected Falcons lineup would be:

• Nikola “NiKo” Kovač
• René “TeSeS” Madsen
• Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov
• Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin
• Finn “karrigan” Andersen
• Danny “zonic” Sørensen (coach)

On the FaZe side, the situation looks bleak. Missing the Major for the first time since the organisation entered Counter-Strike over a decade ago was already a crisis, and losing karrigan only deepens it. FaZe have just over two weeks to assemble a starting five before BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 kicks off on April 29, and finding a replacement for a player of karrigan’s experience and leadership will be no small task.

The post karrigan Reportedly Set To Join Falcons Ahead of IEM Cologne Major, Replacing kyxsan appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Rumours about CS2 player salaries have exploded this week, with claims that some of the biggest names in Counter-Strike could be earning eye-watering monthly paycheques.

According to Belarusian caster Konstantin “Leniniw” Sivko, players like Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut and Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev are commanding salaries that would rival top-tier athletes, though it’s important to note these figures are unverified and heavily debated.

Reported Salaries From Leniniw’s Claims

Speaking on a recent podcast and later on Telegram, Leniniw shared what he says are insider figures for several top CS2 players and staff.

The most headline-grabbing number is ZywOo, who is claimed to be earning around €100,000 per month while playing for Team Vitality. That would put him well over six figures in USD terms, making him one of the highest-paid players in the scene if accurate.

Leniniw also claimed that when s1mple was negotiating a move to BC.Game, he requested a monthly salary of $120,000. According to the caster, s1mple’s goal was to become the highest-paid Counter-Strike player in history.

Other figures mentioned include NiKo and m0NESY, who were both said to be earning roughly $70,000 per month, while NAVI coach Andrii “B1ad3” Ghorodenskyi was described as the highest-paid member within the organisation, though no exact number was given.

s1mple Responds With A Joke

Shortly after the claims began circulating, s1mple responded on Telegram with a tongue-in-cheek comment.

He joked that $120,000 per month was actually “a bit too low”, adding that many tier-one CS players already earn that amount and implying he had asked for even more.

The response didn’t confirm or deny the report, but it did add fuel to the conversation and highlight just how speculative these numbers are.

Conflicting Claims From Falcons Leadership

What makes these salary rumours even more interesting is how they clash with previous statements from Falcons management.

The organisation’s CEO had previously suggested that NiKo and m0NESY were earning somewhere between $16,000 and $32,000 per month, which is significantly lower than Leniniw’s reported $70,000 figure.

Former coach kassad publicly pushed back on those lower estimates, calling them a “blatant lie”, which only adds to the confusion around what top players are actually being paid.

How Reliable Are These Salary Leaks?

Even Leniniw himself admitted that some of the information came indirectly, in one case citing “someone who knows well-informed people” as the source.

Other figures were shared without detailed sourcing, and none of the players or organisations involved have officially confirmed the numbers.

That uncertainty has led to scepticism among fans, with many pointing out that the reported salaries seem extremely high, even by modern esports standards.

The Bigger Picture Around CS2 Salaries

While exact numbers are rarely made public, it’s widely accepted that top Counter-Strike players earn significant salaries through a mix of team contracts, tournament winnings, and sponsorship deals.

If figures like €100,000 per month are accurate, it would signal just how far the esport has grown financially, particularly with increased investment from organisations and sponsors in recent years.

At the same time, the gap between reported figures and official statements shows how opaque esports contracts still are, especially at the highest level.

For now, these CS2 salary rumours remain exactly that, rumours, but they’ve certainly sparked a fresh conversation about just how much the biggest names in Counter-Strike are really worth.

The post CS2 Salary Rumours Claim ZywOo €100K, s1mple $120K Per Month appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Razer has officially unveiled the Razer NiKo Collection, a new line of gaming peripherals co-designed with Counter-Strike legend Nikola Kovač, better known to fans as NiKo. The collection dropped on February 16, celebrating what the brand calls his fire, focus, and discipline, and it’s built around the exact gear he uses and trusts in competition.

It’s NiKo’s day, and we’re bringing the heat.

The Razer NiKo Collection drops, forged by his fire, focus, and discipline. Built from the gear he mains and trusts. Today, we celebrate the standard he sets. Gear up with his arsenal. https://t.co/gUXWWGyTk6#FeelTheFire pic.twitter.com/RxcoJaq26B

— Team RΛZΞR (@TeamRazer) February 16, 2026

Announced via Team Razer’s social channels with the tagline “Feel The Fire”, the launch marks a significant moment in NiKo’s long-running career at the top of Counter-Strike esports.

What Is Included In The Razer NiKo Collection

The Razer NiKo Collection covers four core pieces of competitive gear, each customised with a bold flame design inspired by the Desert Eagle, the weapon that earned NiKo the nickname “Deagle God”.

The lineup includes:

• Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro NiKo Edition
• Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL NiKo Edition
• Razer BlackShark V3 Pro NiKo Edition
• Razer Gigantus V2 Pro NiKo Edition

Each product is positioned as tournament-ready hardware, tuned around the demands of high-level Counter-Strike play.

Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro NiKo Edition

The DeathAdder V4 Pro NiKo Edition is designed for flawless tracking and micro-adjustments, with Razer emphasising duel-winning precision where every pixel matters. For a rifler like NiKo, that level of control is critical when holding angles or snapping to heads in tight site entries.

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL NiKo Edition

The tenkeyless Huntsman V3 Pro NiKo Edition focuses on rapid trigger responsiveness and analogue control. According to Razer, it’s built for fast counter-strafes, perfect peeks, and decisive movement, all fundamentals of elite-level Counter-Strike.

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro NiKo Edition

The BlackShark V3 Pro NiKo Edition headset promises tournament-grade audio clarity. Positional awareness, clean team comms, and split-second decision-making are central to Tier 1 competition, and Razer is clearly leaning into that performance messaging.

Razer Gigantus V2 Pro NiKo Edition

Rounding out the set is the Gigantus V2 Pro NiKo Edition mouse mat. It features a high-performance cloth surface optimised for controlled glide and stopping power, giving players the consistency needed for precise rifle tracking and confident flicks.

A Career Defined By Consistency And Records

Razer’s marketing around the NiKo Collection heavily leans into his legacy. The Bosnian star is widely regarded as one of the greatest riflers in Counter-Strike history.

Now representing Team Falcons, 2026 marks his 17th year competing in Counter-Strike. Despite the longevity, he continues to reach the latter stages of Tier 1 tournaments.

In a statement about the launch, NiKo described the collection as an important milestone in his career, explaining that every detail reflects his personal standards, values, and competitive mindset.

Razer’s Ongoing Esports Collaborations

The NiKo Collection continues a broader strategy from Razer, which frequently collaborates with elite esports talent to co-design performance-focused gear.

In October 2025, Razer worked with Los Angeles Thieves player Paco ‘HyDra’ Rusiewiez on the Raiju V3 Pro controller for PlayStation 5. Earlier in February 2025, the brand teamed up with six-time League of Legends world champion Lee Sang-hyeok, known globally as Faker, to release the Viper V3 Pro Faker Edition mouse.

Across the industry, other peripheral brands are following a similar path. Team Vitality AWPer Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut recently collaborated with Pulsar on a mouse designed for long competitive sessions, showing how deeply pro player insight is now integrated into hardware design.

With the Razer NiKo Collection now live, fans of Counter-Strike and aspiring riflers alike have the option to gear up with the same arsenal trusted by one of the scene’s most decorated players. For Razer, it reinforces its positioning as a brand closely tied to elite esports performance. For NiKo, it’s another chapter in a career that continues to burn bright.

The post Razer NiKo Collection Revealed Featuring CS2 Star’s Signature Gear appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

PARIVISION have announced themselves as a serious force in Counter-Strike 2, sweeping Falcons 3–0 to win the BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 finals in Malta. It was a statement victory in every sense, capping off a dominant tournament run where Jame’s side dropped just one map across five series.

🏆 @PARIVISIONGG ARE YOUR BLAST BOUNTY CHAMPIONS! 🏆#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/lVFWGxTgUN

— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) January 25, 2026

For a team that only narrowly scraped into the Budapest Major last year, the turnaround has been remarkable. This marks the first major trophy in PARIVISION’s history and propels them up to fourth place in the global VRS rankings.

A Perfect Finals Performance In Malta

The grand final was one-way traffic as PARIVISION dismantled Falcons across Mirage, Dust2 and Inferno, closing out the series 13:9, 13:11 and 13:11.

Falcons entered the decider without Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin, and the lack of cohesion showed. While they managed early leads on multiple maps, PARIVISION consistently wrestled back control once the economy stabilised, punishing mistakes with crisp mid-round calls and clinical retakes.

Despite flashes of resistance, Falcons simply could not sustain momentum when it mattered most.

nota Shines As Finals MVP

The standout performer of the series was Emil “nota” Moskvitin, who earned MVP honours after an outstanding showing in the final. nota posted 60 kills to just 36 deaths, averaging 93 ADR and finishing with a 7.2 out of 10 rating across the three maps.

His impact was felt in every phase of the game, from multi-frag holds to decisive entry work that repeatedly broke Falcons’ defensive setups. Support also came from Ivan “zweih” Gogin and xiELO, while Dzhami “Jame” Ali delivered key clutch moments, including a pivotal 1v3 that swung momentum firmly in PARIVISION’s favour.

How The Final Played Out Map By Map

Mirage set the tone early. Falcons briefly looked sharp after a pistol-round triple kill from stand-in Matej “NucleonZ” Trajkoski, but PARIVISION quickly took control once rifles were online. Multi-kills across the board and a crucial Jame clutch gave them a comfortable platform to close out the opener.

Dust2 followed a similar pattern. Falcons again jumped out to an early advantage behind a pair of B-site retakes from Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, but a fearless pistol-only mid-B split from PARIVISION ignited a dominant run. Even when Falcons clawed back to level the score twice, near-flawless late-round retakes saw PARIVISION seal the map.

Inferno offered Falcons their best chance. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač finally came alive on the CT side, racking up 15 frags and dragging his team to six rounds after a 0–5 start. PARIVISION, however, remained composed, retaking the lead early in the second half and holding firm when Falcons equalised at 11–11 to close out the sweep.

Falcons Fall Short Despite Big Names

Falcons’ struggles were not limited to one player. NucleonZ finished the series with a 0.64 rating, while m0NESY endured an uncharacteristically quiet final. NiKo only found consistent impact on Inferno, leaving the international lineup unable to match PARIVISION’s depth and coordination.

Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski’s squad will have little time to dwell on the loss, with travel to Kraków looming and a tough group ahead that includes Vitality and MOUZ, where a top-three finish will be required.

Coach Dastan On A Breakthrough Moment

After the win, PARIVISION coach Dastan “dastan” Akbayev described the victory as a defining moment for his young roster.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’ll be happy for at least one day,” he said. “Counter-Strike life is very hard, it’s a lot of losses. Only one team is winning, and today this team is PARIVISION. I hope this team will help my young players be confident in the future.”

He also highlighted the significance of beating elite opposition, noting wins over Spirit, FURIA and a Falcons lineup featuring NiKo and m0NESY as major milestones for the squad.

Prize Pool, Viewership And What Comes Next

BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 ran from January 22 to 26 in Attard, Malta, with a total prize pool of $452,500, alongside an additional club share distributed across organisations.

PARIVISION walked away with $254,687 plus a $40,000 club share, while Falcons earned $71,562 and their own $40,000 club allocation. The final also proved a major draw, peaking at nearly 800,000 viewers, underlining the growing appeal of the BLAST Bounty circuit.

With confidence sky-high and a VRS climb to fourth place secured, PARIVISION now look like a genuine contender heading into the next stretch of the 2026 CS2 season.

The post PARIVISION Sweep Falcons To Claim BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 Title appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Team Falcons will head into the BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 Finals in Malta without their head coach, Danny “zonic” Sørensen, following the sudden passing of his brother. The organisation confirmed the news in an official statement, stressing that the coach has the team’s full support as he returns home to be with his family during this difficult period.

Official statement

Unfortunately, our coach @zonic won’t be able to be with the team in Malta. He has our full support during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/P7ps9kNArA

— Falcons Esports (@FalconsEsport) January 19, 2026

The announcement adds a deeply human layer to Falcons’ first LAN event of the 2026 season, as the squad prepares to compete on one of Counter-Strike’s biggest early-year stages without one of the most decorated coaches in esports history.

Official Statement From Team Falcons

Team Falcons released a public message on January 19, extending its condolences to Danny zonic Sørensen and confirming that he will not be present for the remainder of the BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 Finals in Malta.

The organisation made it clear that family comes first, noting that there is no pressure on zonic regarding his return timeline. Falcons also thanked fans for their continued support, while expressing hope that the coach will be back with the team when he is ready.

Zonic Confirms Absence After Learning The News Mid-Event

Zonic later shared that he learned about his brother’s sudden passing shortly after Falcons’ opening BLAST Bounty match against ECSTATIC. He flew home immediately to be with his family, while still taking a moment to praise his players for qualifying for the LAN finals.

After our game vs Ecstatic, I learned that my brother suddenly passed away.
I’ve flown home to be with my family.
Tough times, but I’ll try to be back as soon as I can. Proud of the boys for qualifying for Malta ❤️

— Danny Sørensen (@zonic) January 17, 2026

“Tough times, but I’ll try to be back as soon as I can,” zonic wrote, adding that he was proud of the team for securing their spot in Malta.

Falcons Also Hit By Visa Issues In Malta

Compounding the challenge, Falcons will also be without young rifler Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin at the Finals due to unresolved visa complications. As a result, academy player Matej “NucleonZ” Trajkoski will step into the lineup for the Malta event.

Falcons are expected to field the following roster at the BLAST Bounty Finals:

• Nikola “NiKo” Kovač
• René “TeSeS” Madsen
• Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov
• Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski
• Matej “NucleonZ” Trajkoski

The absence of both the head coach and a starting rifler makes the task significantly harder, especially at a high-pressure LAN environment.

Strong Form Heading Into The BLAST Bounty Finals

Despite the off-server setbacks, Falcons arrive in Malta in excellent competitive form. The team delivered confident 2–0 victories over Monte and ECSTATIC during the online stage, showing strong map control, disciplined team play, and consistent individual performances.

NiKo continues to lead as a primary firepower threat, m0NESY remains elite with the AWP, and the supporting core of TeSeS and kyxsan has provided stability across roles. That consistency may prove crucial as Falcons attempt to navigate the Finals without their tactical leader on site.

How Zonic’s Absence Could Affect Falcons

Zonic’s role within the team goes far beyond calling tactics. He is widely respected for his opponent-specific preparation, mid-event adaptations, and ability to maintain mental composure during tense matches. Losing that presence at the LAN stage removes a key layer of between-match preparation and strategic adjustment.

At the same time, situations like this can sometimes galvanise teams. Falcons may lean on in-game leadership and pre-planned structures, playing with added motivation to perform in honour of their coach during an emotionally charged tournament.

A Human Moment In A High-Stakes Tournament

The BLAST Bounty Finals are a major opportunity for ranking points and early momentum in the 2026 season, but Falcons have made it clear that results come second to supporting their coach. While the competitive implications are significant, the story surrounding this event is first and foremost about people, not trophies.

Falcons now face a defining test of resilience in Malta, one that will measure not just their skill on the server, but their unity as a team under difficult circumstances.

The post Falcons To Play BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 Finals Without Zonic After Family Tragedy appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Ten Counter-Strike 2 stars jumped into a fan-service special that actually delivered on the hype. Billed as “The Most Stacked CS2 PUG of All Time,” ESL’s All-Star draft put Team m0NESY against Team donk. On the server, though, it was Team kyousuke that ran away with it, closing 13–6 on Mirage with real ±100 FACEIT Elo at stake.

The line-ups and the draft that swung it

The captains were decided by FACEIT ELO, which meant m0NESY had first pick. He chose NiKo, leaving kyousuke to snap up donk and ZywOo in quick succession. The full squads were:

• Team kyousuke: kyousuke, ZywOo, donk, frozen, Wicadia
• Team m0NESY: m0NESY, NiKo, ropz, b1t, Senzu

A standard veto left Mirage. From there, kyousuke’s five had the confidence and firepower to dictate pace.

The key beats on Mirage

• donk top-frags with 20 kills and 12 deaths, bullying mid and entries with trademark tempo.
• ZywOo steals rounds with late-round reads and tidy clutches, including sharp decisions around kitchen and short.
• Wicadia surprises with impact plays and well-timed swings that kept momentum on kyousuke’s side.

“Do this every EPL”  the community loved it

Reactions across YouTube and Reddit were overwhelmingly positive, and a big chunk of the discourse asked ESL to make this a regular feature.

• “Lowkey the best showmatch I’ve seen. Stacked teams, serious CS, great vibes.”
• “Finally, a proper All-Star for CS, like the NBA or NHL.”
• “Watching donk and ZywOo together feels like Messi and Ronaldo on the same side.”
• “Big W, ESL production. This should be a regular thing.”
• “Even NiKo thinks m0NESY was crazy not to pick donk or ZywOo.”
• “Comms were elite from ZywOo, donk and m0NESY. That’s what it takes at the top.”

It wasn’t just the highlight reels. Viewers loved the personality on show, donk joking with kyousuke, ZywOo hyping frozen, and wholesome post-round banter. One comment thanked m0NESY “for letting donk and ZywOo be on the same team,” while another teased that Falcons were “testing new team combinations.”

Image via ESL FACEIT Group

Why the format worked

• Real stakes: The ±100 FACEIT Elo twist kept it competitive.
• Super-team novelty: Rivals sharing sides gave us chemistry and comms we rarely get in officials.
• Broadcast polish: ESL’s pace, observing and sound bites made it feel premium without losing the fun.

The result

Team kyousuke beat Team m0NESY 13–6 on Mirage, with donk leading the server and ZywOo adding class in the clutch. If the community gets its way, this won’t be a one-off. The message is clear: run the ESL All-Star again, keep the draft, and let the fans feast.

kyousuke + donk + ZywOo got a victory in the showmatch against m0NESY + b1t + NiKo, with donk top fragging 20 kills on 12 deaths.

Teams played classic Mirage, for the victory kyousuke’s team got 100 FACEIT Elo each, while m0NESY’s lost 100 Elo each. pic.twitter.com/NS5PGHKX7b

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) October 9, 2025

The post Team m0NESY vs Team donk CS2 All-Star by ESL appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Rumours are swirling around Counter-Strike 2’s newest prodigy, Maidar “nocries” B., as fans begin to wonder if he could be the next name to join Team Falcons’ star-studded lineup.

The speculation started after a recent interview with content creator 666unique666 that was shared by CS2 News on X, where the 18-year-old FACEIT sensation casually talked about his dream lineup, one that included big names like kyousuke and m0NESY,  on X, and it quickly blew up, with fans connecting dots that might not even exist yet.

I think I understand where you’re going with this… 🦅 pic.twitter.com/6mVcEfTcO8

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) October 5, 2025

It didn’t take long before the replies were full of wild theories. One user joked, “yeah. sure. why not. -kyxsan +nocries NiKo to IGL turn Falcons to NiKo and his Russian children.” Others pushed back, calling it “fake hype” or saying Falcons are being linked to everyone these days.

From FACEIT Grind to FPL Fame

The attention isn’t random. Just days ago, FACEIT officially cleared nocries of any wrongdoing after a full integrity investigation, ending weeks of suspicion about his sudden rise to the top of the North American leaderboard.

That deep-dive review confirmed that nocries, who has Buryatia roots and Mongolian heritage, plays clean and earned his way up fair and square. The review even included supervised LAN matches at FACEIT’s New York office, where his stats matched his online results. He’s now been granted an indefinite FPL invite, letting him compete with professional players on a regular basis.

All of that makes the Falcons talk sound a little less far-fetched. After all, this is the same organisation that dropped big money to bring together NiKo, m0NESY, kyxsan, TeSeS, and kyousuke earlier this year. If anyone could afford to take a chance on a raw but proven talent, it’s them.

“I’ve Never Played a Pro Tournament — Yet”

In the same interview, nocries admitted he’s never played a professional Counter-Strike tournament, but that hasn’t stopped him dreaming big.

“I’d love to play alongside players like m0NESY and kyousuke. They’ve got insane potential,” he said. “But for now, I just want to reach the top of HLTV with my team someday — that’s my biggest goal.”

The interview also revealed a lot about his mindset. He started playing when he was just 11, grinding thousands of hours before ever touching FACEIT. When people accused him of cheating, he said he understood their doubts, and used them as motivation.

Fans Split Over the Possibility

Online reactions have been all over the place. Some fans think adding nocries could give Falcons even more firepower, while others say it’s too soon to throw an untested rookie into such a high-pressure roster.

Still, with Falcons known for surprise moves and nocries now proven legit, the timing couldn’t be better for at least a trial run. Whether the team makes a move or not, the hype shows just how fast this young player has become a name everyone’s talking about in CS2.

The post Could Nocries Join Team Falcons? appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Counter-Strike 2’s latest patch was meant to improve competitive play, but many professional players say it’s had the opposite effect. The Show Off update, released on 17 September, tweaked CS2’s shooting subtick system to supposedly make weapon fire more precise and responsive. Instead, some of the game’s biggest names claim it has made the FPS worse to play.

Team Falcons star rifler Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač was among the first to voice his frustration. Taking to social media, he said: “How can they make game feel even worse every f**king time.”

This update completely destroyed the spray—CS feels broken and ridiculous now. And the funny thing is, we’ll have to play in the tournament with this new update

— İsmailcan Dörtkardeş (@XANTAREScsgo) September 17, 2025

He wasn’t alone. Aurora Gaming’s İsmailсan ‘XANTARES’ Dörtkardeş argued that the changes have ruined weapon control. “This update completely destroyed the spray. CS feels broken and ridiculous now. And the funny thing is, we’ll have to play in the tournament with this new update,” he posted.

Timing couldn’t be worse

The backlash comes as CS2 heads into a busy stretch of top-tier competition. Both FISSURE Playground 2 and StarLadder StarSeries Season 19 will be played on the updated subtick system. With these events tied to the Valve Regional Standings (VRS), the results could have a big impact on qualification pathways for future majors.

Valve moves quickly

In response to the criticism, developer Valve pushed out another small patch on 18 September. This update attempted to refine subtick mechanics further, with “improved timestep-independence of subtick movement acceleration” added to smooth out gameplay. It also fixed purchasing errors with the new Genesis Terminal Uplink skin.

It’s the seventh update in September alone, highlighting just how much Valve is still adjusting CS2’s mechanics. While the developer has a history of rolling out small fixes until the community is satisfied, pros will be keeping a close eye on whether the latest tweaks restore balance before more big events kick off.

For now, though, it’s clear that CS2’s subtick changes haven’t landed the way Valve intended. As XANTARES put it bluntly, “CS feels broken and ridiculous.”

The post “CS feels broken and ridiculous”: CS2 pros slam Show Off update appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The Esports World Cup 2025 wrapped up in Riyadh this weekend, and while Falcons didn’t manage to lift the trophy on home soil, they did bounce back to claim a podium finish with a strong 2–1 win over Vitality in the third-place decider.

Falcons stomp Vitality to secure 3rd place at EWC 🥉 pic.twitter.com/OaGZZcz0Dp

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 24, 2025

For Falcons, the victory wasn’t just about bragging rights, it also brought in valuable VRS points, a confidence boost after their semi-final stumble, and a tidy US$130,000 prize. Vitality, meanwhile, had to settle for fourth place and US$70,000.

A Back-and-Forth Start

The series kicked off on Inferno, Vitality’s map pick. Falcons started hot, racing to an 8–4 lead at the half. But things quickly flipped when William “mezii” Merriman powered Vitality’s T-side with a standout 2.92 rating, helping them storm back and close the map 13–9.

T-side Inferno was easy for mezii 💪 pic.twitter.com/HhjWiZUUZP

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 24, 2025

Falcons Hit Back on Train

With their pick of Train, Falcons looked determined not to repeat their semi-final heartbreak against Aurora. They came out swinging, putting up a blistering 9–3 attacking half before closing the map 13–3. It was one-way traffic, and Vitality struggled to find any answers.

Prime NiKo 👑 pic.twitter.com/ZvD2GrF3DO

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 24, 2025

But before the result was sealed, fans were treated to a cheeky moment of brilliance from Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, who pulled off a sneaky ninja defuse in one of the early rounds. It was the kind of play that had the crowd roaring and social media buzzing.

Robbed in broad daylight by @zywoo! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/t5VC3UyTF6

— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) August 24, 2025

Still, the highlight couldn’t stop Falcons’ momentum as they cruised through the rest of the map.

Dominance on Nuke

That momentum carried into the decider on Nuke. Falcons didn’t let up, once again steamrolling Vitality with another 13–3 finish. The French side could only watch as frustration set in, captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire was even seen with his head in his hands as Falcons shut the door on any comeback hopes.

The star of the show was Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, who delivered an MVP-worthy performance with 54 kills, a +29 K/D, and a 1.70 rating across the series. Backing him up was Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, who racked up 53 kills of his own and underlined just how much this win meant for the team.

A dominating series from m0NESY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/L7uQ2tueJx

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 24, 2025

“This game was super important for us, for the VRS points, and for our confidence as well,” NiKo said after the match. “The game yesterday was very tough, especially on Train, so I’m glad we didn’t end on that note and had the opportunity to show better CS today.”

The Bigger Picture

The Esports World Cup 2025, held from August 20–24 at Boulevard Riyadh City, brought together 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams for a massive US$1.25 million prize pool. While Falcons couldn’t deliver the ultimate win for their home crowd, a third-place finish still ensures they walk away with momentum heading into the next leg of the season.

Vitality, on the other hand, leave Riyadh with more questions than answers. Once seen as one of the favourites, the French side struggled to find form, and their reliance on mezii’s bursts of brilliance wasn’t enough to carry them past this weekend.

The post Falcons Defeat Vitality to Claim Third Place at Esports World Cup 2025 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.