Author: Saumya "Sapporo" Srijan

In late August of 2013, CS:GO added the famous Arms Deal Update, where Valve added skins to the game. The update completely revolutionized how people looked at the game since people could theoretically make money from a game. Each CS2/CSGO item was designated a monetary value that hinged on various aspects of the skin, including its float, rarity, and supply. The steam market was not the only place people could buy skins; they could also trade their skins with a person. Trading in CS2/CS:GO can be perplexing for beginners, and thus one must understand its dynamics before investing a significant…

As IEM Sydney advances into the playoffs, we find ourselves with six teams that have successfully navigated their way to the stage. Each team brings its unique narrative, and as they prepare to engage in fierce competition, let us look at the top contenders who are poised to lift the trophy here in Australia.G2The year 2023 has unquestionably marked a triumphant period for G2 Esports. Since their resounding victory at the BLAST World Finals in December of the previous year— which brought a decisive end to a seemingly interminable championship drought— they’ve vanquished their historical adversaries and, in doing so,…

After coming to the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Europe RMR B as underdogs, the Polish roster 9INE has booked a spot in the Paris Major as Legends; completing a spotless run. In a group stacked with heavyweights, 9INE found themselves facing off the likes of G2, BIG and Vitality and yet came out victorious on all fronts.Olek “hades” Miskiewicz, who joined the team at the outset of the year, stood head and shoulders above the rest of the teammates, making the RMRs a success for 9INE. In his conversation with BLIX, he discussed their preparations for the event, tales of…

Ever since the rumors about the new Source 2 broke out, the question of what will happen to skins in the new version of the game has been up in the air. There has been a lot of talk within the community with speculations being all over the place. With the recent announcement of Counter-Strike 2, Valve has made sure to answer this question as well.Read more: Counter-Strike 2 Maps Screenshots: Nuke, Overpass, Dust 2Breaking down the AnnouncementIn the latest announcement, it has been made clear by Valve that all skins from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will be retained in Counter-Strike…

The loss of a star player like Lotan “Spinx” Giladi can have massive effects on an organization like ENCE. This is especially true when an ambitious rebuild featuring Valdemar “valde” Bjørn VangsÃ¥ and Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia fails to meet expectations for an organization that looked close to being a title contender. Compared to June 2022 when ENCE were capable of fighting for a top spot in the scene, the Finnish organization, the team recently has been close to slipping out of the top 20. This led ENCE to realize valde’s playstyle was at odds with the direction the team wanted…

Olek “hades” Miskiewicz had an avid interest in gaming even as a child. When he became acquainted with 1.6, he instantly became obsessed with the competitive environment. His obsession for Counter-Strike extended to CS:GO after it was released. Plowing more hours into the game stirred up his fervor even more. The rate of his growth as he put in more hours was sheer. The rampant development in his skills was an outcome of his incessant hunger to get better. Fueled by the desire to test his limits, he, along with his Polish friends, began competing in tournaments. The problem was…

After overcoming the biggest threat of the tournament in FaZe, G2 is through to the final stage of the BLAST World Final in Abu Dhabi. In the aftermath of their revenge match, BLIX spoke with Nikola “NiKo” Kovač about the key components of the game.On the CT side of their map pick of Nuke, G2 was down 14-10 after just having lost a force-buy. With measly pistols to defend against matchpoint, G2 made the unthinkable happen as they brought the fully bought FaZe down with a lobby crunch. It resulted in a complete shift in momentum as HooXi’s men managed…

In the midst of luminaries like Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, Kenny “kennyS Schrub, Ladislav “GuardiaN” Kovács and Jesper “JW” Wecksell, it has been Nicolai “device” Reedtz who made his mark over the years as the most eminent sniper.Read more: From 2-0 to 2-3 in CS:GO MajorsWhile being a GOAT in CS:GO can be subjective, with 4x Major trophies, 2x Major MVPs and 8 Top 20 HLTV mentions he can objectively be deemed as the most decorated AWPer in the game. But what seems to be a buoyant career from afar has been plagued by physical and mental health…

From Luminosity’s burgeoning course in MLG Columbus 2016 to Gambit’s stupendous run in the PGL Major Krakow 2017, to Cloud9’s unforgettable comeback in the final of ELEAGUE Major 2018, Majors in CSGO have always been captivating. Amidst the glory and tears of contentment, the highest stage of the game has also witnessed innumerable heartbreaks. It has happened on several occasions that a team got to a blistering start, only to be knocked out most brutally. Let’s examine the cases where a team got eliminated after being up 2-0.BIG in the Legends Stage of IEM Rio 2022A considerable amount of firepower…

Out on their quest of world supremacy, G2 signed the seasoned Finnish leader Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen and the young Russian prodigy Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov at the start of the calendar year. However, expectations fell through for the international roster as they failed to make deep runs in big tournaments. A slew of disappointing results in ESL Pro League Season 15, PGL Major Antwerp 2022 and IEM Cologne 2022 ensured an upcoming overhaul in the off season. The latest addition to the team, Aleksib was the first on the chopping block as he was replaced by the 27 year old Danish…