Will kyousuke, b1t, or s1mple join Falcons? Who does Falcons need to end Vitality’s era and start their own?
In Melbourne, on April 28, 2025, one of the most epic grand finals in CS2 history took place. This match attracted increased attention because Falcons had recently reunited the incredible duo of NiKo and m0NESY, while Vitality hadn’t lost 20 matches in a row since January 2025 and were aiming for victory in the Intel Grand Slam. As you know, Falcons had 6 match points on the fifth map, but apEX and company managed to take what they believed was rightfully theirs.
Such an intense final came as a real surprise, as just a month ago everyone was literally mocking Falcons, who clearly weren’t the team their organization’s management was trying to present them as. But a couple of weeks ago, they won their first trophy and with it gained one of the top 2 players in the world and one of the best snipers in the form of m0NESY. They had only one day to prepare for the tournament and immediately made it to the grand final, where they made Vitality feel mortal and caused the incredibly confident champions to shake.
What did Falcons lack for victory?
Let’s not drag this out – everyone knows that the four-time Major winner Magisk has been showing mediocre CS for a long time. Emil is falling behind in shooting, making questionable decisions, and while performing the role of anchor, he is truly the Achilles’ heel of the roster. Will the head coach remove his longtime friend from the lineup? Unknown. But absolutely everyone understands that this replacement would be a step forward. Who could take his place? Let’s analyze in this article.
The third coming of s1mple
We all remember how the best player in CS:GO history attempted to return to CS2 by being loaned to Falcons. Both attempts were rather mediocre, but let’s be honest – the lineups then left much to be desired. Currently, Kostylev is actively training (though it’s unclear whether in the gym or on servers), but he’s certainly capable of regaining his game form. However, the Falcons need an anchor, someone who will solo hold a position on defense and support teammates on offense. Would Sasha want to return to the game in these roles? Unlikely.
Also, s1mple still has a contract with NAVI, and in announcements for EWC, the organization tried to hint at the player’s return to the main roster. Maybe these are just teasers, or maybe it’s a farewell video? Just imagine the trio of NiKo, m0NESY, and s1mple in one team. Sounds like madness. And throughout his career, Sasha has repeatedly said that he would be ready to give up the AWP to reliable hands. And can you imagine hands more reliable than Ilya’s? No, and to return to CS, starting all over again and taking on less multitasking roles would be perfect for getting back into the competitive rhythm. Victories will also provide additional motivation and confidence, and if they exist with the Dane, they won’t go anywhere with Kostylev.
The risk with a second donk
Spirit Academy once again makes us follow their young talent, and after the success of donk, who became the best player and won a Major in his first tier-1 season, no one is thinking about overhyping his successor. Now absolutely everyone knows kyousuke aka CEMEN_BAKIN and talks about his mechanical skills, which are almost better than donk’s. Currently, the player finds himself in a situation similar to when m0NESY was in NAVI Junior, where he couldn’t expect to get into the main squad because of s1mple, while his talent was worthy of the tier-1 scene. Then the player moved to G2, and we know it was absolutely the right decision. Ilya understands what kyousuke feels and is better than anyone to help with adaptation at the top level.
Here again, there’s a conflict of positions, as kyousuke is clearly not created for anchoring point B, but again – many experienced players consider starting the integration into tier-1 from this position an absolutely right step. Remember malbsMd in G2, when everyone said that the Samurai would ruin the Guatemalan’s talent, but in the end, the guy was in his prime and made it into the top 12 players of 2024. Now he’s getting lost as he was immediately assigned too responsible roles. The transfer of kyousuke with the right approach could become an excellent investment in the future, when after a couple of years of playing with NiKo, he will take his place, and the Bosnian will finally sit in the IGL slot. Sounds great, right?
Another friend for Ilya
It’s no secret that b1t and m0NESY have been best friends since NAVI Junior, and Ilya has repeatedly said that he dreams of playing with Valera on the same team. Currently, b1t is the perfect ready-made solution for Falcons, which could work even better than ropz joining Vitality. He performs identical roles to Magisk, and he just needs to be moved like a new puzzle piece, replacing the defective fragment that ruins the whole picture. Valera is now possibly the best player in his positions with experience performing in an international lineup, absolutely non-confrontational, and who can reunite with his best friend.
Believing that NAVI would let go of their homegrown talent to any team is almost impossible. On the other hand, they are already objectively on the verge of restructuring, and Falcons can pay absolutely any amount that would allow them to get a budget for building a new team. B1ad3 has already proven that he can build a lineup from scratch. Therefore, though small, there is still a chance for this transfer, and honestly, this is the option we want to see the most.
Return to previous negotiations
In winter, there were already talks that Falcons approached Jimpphat, but as sources of these rumors say, he refused them because m0NESY decided to continue with G2. Honestly, the Finnish player’s decision is absolutely understandable, but now that Ilya has changed his mind, why wouldn’t he do the same? In the semifinals, Falcons carried you out feet first, and you felt firsthand what the reunited duo of NiKo and m0NESY is like. We’re sure this match planted a seed of doubt in Jimpphat’s mind, and Jimi will definitely consider the offer if one comes.
Yes, at MOUZ he’s doing well, but that’s against a backdrop of general decline in other teams, while Falcons are already showing that they can contend for the title of the best team on the planet. In terms of positions, it’s more than obvious – Jimpphat is a classic anchor who perfectly does everything that the Falcons currently lack. Great aim and a wonderful understanding of his role. A gray cardinal who often finds himself in the highlight reel because he takes out opponents in bunches when holding the plant or catches fire and wipes opponents off the map on offense. By all parameters, this is the best of the most realistic options, and unlike NAVI, it will be much easier to shower MOUZ with money.
Betting on experienced inactivity
Of course, we’re talking about Perfecto, who was on Cloud9’s bench for a year and has recently become a free agent. There aren’t many players with such experience on the pro scene, and if Ilya were in his prime, Falcons would have taken such a player to their team without a second thought, especially for free. But on the other hand, isn’t Magisk experienced? Not at all, and he might even outdo Perfecto in this aspect of the game. Falcons need results here and now, and we don’t see any hints that Ilya is actively playing CS and working on resuming his career. He also has no experience in international lineups, but this is, of course, the lesser of the problems.
The main advantage of Ilya is that he can be obtained by Falcons for free, but money isn’t a problem for the sheikhs, so this argument, while nice, is far from decisive. Therefore, this option is definitely workable but objectively risky. Does Falcons need such a risk? We doubt it.
Conclusion
Our prediction is that no changes should be expected before the Major, but the machine has already started, and judging by the engine’s work, it’s only competing for gold in this race. If one of the parts fails, it should be replaced without hesitation. Most likely, the “reliable” tire in the form of Magisk, which zonic has been riding for 10 seasons in a row, will have to be replaced with a new one. But who will become the new anchor of the Falcons? Most likely someone from this list.
