Denis ‘seized’ Kostin, a long-standing professional in the world of esports, has recently made the decision to retire from competitive play. His career dates back to the later stages of Counter-Strike 1.6, showcasing his long-standing dedication to the game.
The renowned Russian rifler and in-game leader started his professional career in the gameCounter-Strike 1.6but gained widespread recognition and success while playing for Natus Vincere in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from 2013 to 2017. Throughout his time with Na’Vi, they established themselves as one of the top teams in the competitive CS:GO scene, clinching numerous championship titles and holding the prestigious No. 1 ranking in the world for a period.
In 2011, the 29-year-old player made his first appearance recorded by HLTV at ASUS Winter with fbgaming. He transitioned to CS:GOin 2012 with dAT and a year later joined Natus Vincere, where he would establish his reputation.
During 2014-2016, the talented rifler achieved great success with Natus Vincere, winning numerous prestigious trophies. He had the opportunity to play alongside renowned players such as Ladislav ‘GuardiaN’ Kovács and Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev. His notable victories include titles at events like ESWC 2015 and ESL One New York 2016. Additionally, he received his only career MVP award at the StarSeries IX Finals in 2014.
During his tenure with Natus Vincere, ‘seized’ made impactful performances at various Major tournaments, securing a top-four placement at DreamHack Winter 2014 and achieving consecutive second-place finishes at DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca and MLG Columbus.
After leaving Natus Vincere in 2017 following five years with the team, ‘seized’ remained an influential figure in the professional gaming scene. He notably went on to represent teams such as Gambit, FlipSid3, and Vega Squadron. In 2019, he departed from Vega Squadron and transitioned into a journeyman role, playing for several lower-tier Russian teams.
In a surprising turn of events, ‘seized’ made a comeback in the spotlight after successfully leading 9 Pandas to a surprising PGL Copenhagen Major qualification, notably securing their place in Denmark by defeating Astralis in the Europe Last Chance Qualifier.
Unfortunately, the 9 Pandas team encountered travel issues, which forced them to withdraw from the Major tournament. As a result, ‘seized’ expressed his deep disappointment on social media, stating that he had never experienced such emptiness in his life. Shortly after this incident, ‘seized’ was benched, and has been without a team since then.
seized Statement
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