Rostermania has now been and gone, and yet, s1mple is without a team.
The undisputed GOAT of Counter-Strike, the fact he is still without a team a year into CS2 once would have been unimaginable, but it is now a reality we have gotten very used to.
Despite that, s1mple still seems keen to return to the server, but only when the right opportunity comes to him.
So, with that said, what will that opportunity be?
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Option A: Taking back the throne
Of course, the first option has always been NAVI. And we’re also sure that it’s the option s1mple himself would prefer.
However, it’s not going to be that easy for him, as it would require w0nderful seriously going off the boil in order for it to become a reality.
Even then, we’re not sure NAVI would actually choose to bring s1mple back into the fold. s1mple is an exceptional player and one that is incredibly likely to please their fans if he was to rejoin their team, but those fans would not be pleased if his return saw a dip in form.
Without a true superstar like G2, Spirit, or Vitality, a lot has been said for NAVI’s atmosphere and team cohesion being a key reason for all the success they enjoyed in 2024. Would the same success have happened had s1mple not benched himself when he did? We’re not sure it would.
The other issue standing in the way of s1mple joining NAVI is that he is now also an unknown quantity. While he showed flashes of his old brilliance during his limited games with Falcons, their inability to win a game was a hugely limiting factor on how well he could perform. Instead, all it served to do was prove that he could no longer put a team on his back like he did with NAVI in former years.
Therefore, if s1mple was to return to NAVI, and it is always a possibility, we don’t think it would exactly be a good thing. Although it would make many happy, there are too many question marks surrounding it, and NAVI can’t afford to see themselves fall back down the rankings just to bring back a man who maybe only used to be good.
Option B: Seizing an opportunity
As we saw in the recent rostermania, many moves suddenly become possible when the dominoes start to fall.
Although it may be some time until that happens again, s1mple may be able to profit massively from the next time it does.
degster may have begun his time on Falcons well, but we all know that m0NESY’s G2 contract is a ticking time bomb for him. Falcons will try to sign m0NESY again, and degster will be the one that loses his spot on the team as a result of that move should it ever happen.
If that does happen, G2 will not only be without an AWPer, but without a superstar, too. degster is a solid AWPer, but he is not a superstar, and G2’s need for one may lead them to take a gamble that other teams might not.
If s1mple can return to his prime form, few would be able to match him. He would ensure that G2 remained a top competitor, and perhaps his experience could push them to even greater heights than they have achieved with m0NESY.
It feels unlikely, but it is a possibility. And we think it could be a destination for s1mple to prove once again why he is the GOAT of CS.
Option C: Finishing the story
Many years ago, s1mple almost pushed NA CS to their greatest ever moment. In the end, it was the titans of Brazil that proved to be too strong for him then, but those titans have now fallen, and s1mple could be the man to return glory to the NA region.
Of course, we’re talking about a return to Liquid. Which just feels right, doesn’t it?
No longer burdened by a need to remain in North America and now instilled with a culture of winning that was birthed in 2019, Liquid could be a great fit for s1mple, and he could be the catalyst to help bring them their first trophy since IEM Chicago 2019.
ultimate may be a project player for them, but he does already show some worrying signs. An aggressive AWPer, while that worked at first, the teams ahead of Liquid seemed to have already adapted to him, and he has had to endure some difficult games against them.
Having an AWPer that farms against teams below you is a great thing, but it is an AWPer that can perform against the world that can put you on the path to greatness. We’re not sure ultimate can be that man, but we know that s1mple can.
Besides, s1mple has unfinished business with Liquid. He got incredibly close to Major glory with them, and the organisation hasn’t been that close since. There are players on that team looking to claim their first Major, and another who is looking to lift a Major trophy once more, they can do so with s1mple.
