Broky benched as s1mple stands in for FaZe
- The community has recently highlighted broky’s struggles during LAN events.
- S1mple has not been actively practicing with a team in 2025.
- FaZe will undergo massive changes in the next couple of months.
FaZe has put Helvijs “broky” Saukants on the bench and signed Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev for the BLAST.tv Austin Major, as announced on May 5th within their social media accounts. Stay up to date on CS2 transfer rumors and tournament results thanks to our expert esports tips!
Almost 6 Months Out of a Team
S1mple joined FaZe initially as a loanee from Natus Vincere, however there are still lingering ideas of the former superstar staying in the roster. The Ukrainian gaming legend has been out of the competitive scene since November 2024, when he and his team, Falcons, couldn’t qualify for the Perfect World Shanghai Major.
The CSGOAT is back – and he’s on our side now.
Joining us for IEM Dallas and the Austin Major, please welcome @s1mpleO 🐐 pic.twitter.com/O1o5Mdal4k
— FaZe Esports (@FaZeEsports) May 5, 2025
While broky being sent to the benched wasn’t entirely out of the question due to his recent struggles, FaZe bringing s1mple instead of a younger piece was rather shocking. S1mple is considered the greatest CS GO player of all time, but he hasn’t made a significant impact since Counter Strike 2 released, having only participated in a few tournaments with Falcons in a similar situation as the current one. This signing could really change things for FaZe, which has had a tough year after ropz left for French juggernauts Vitality, only managing to reach the later stages at PGL Cluj Napoca and PGL Bucharest.
What to Expect From This Move
S1mple is set to make his first appearance with FaZe at the next IEM event. The Ukrainian will barely have time to look for synergy and his overall role in the new roster before the tournament kicks off. This should give him enough time to get familiar with FaZe’s strategies and gameplay. Even though fans haven’t seen much of s1mple in CS2 yet, he is expected to shake things up for a stuttering lineup since he plays much more aggressively than his counterpart. Unlike broky, s1mple isn’t the usual anchor sniper who hangs back and uses utility to help his teammates.
Locked in for Austin 🔒 pic.twitter.com/KqvYH0GrVC
— FaZe Esports (@FaZeEsports) May 5, 2025
Synergy will be the first wall IGL karrigan will face when balancing the new roster, as s1mple will most likely look to be the main fragger. Karrigan was accustomed to playing with a defender such as broky since way back in 2021. The Latvian sniper, who emerged as a promising talent since 2019 within FaZe, has become an integral part of not only the organization but the fanbase as well, contributing to FaZe’s success in various title winning runs, including the Intel Grand Slam two years back and the PGL Antwerp Major in 2022. Depending on the outcome of the s1mple experiment, broky might return to the first team lineup, as the Ukrainian has only a couple of events to leave a positive impression for the European organization.
Keep an eye out for all of our content as we’ll be covering all the action Counter Strike 2 has to offer. Don’t forget to bet on your favorite teams at BetUS Sportsbook & Casino, as we have a plethora of CS2 odds for you to enjoy!
