Over the quarter century that Counter-Strike has existed, the series has become synonymous with esports. Over twenty years of tournaments have produced many stars, and most of them have already faded away. However, sometimes they can make a comeback. Today, the CS.MONEY blog will talk about some stars who could make a splash in CS2 if they wish to do so.
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Jacky Stewie2K Yip
Let’s start with someone who recently reminded us of his presence. Jacky Yip is one of the biggest legends of North American Counter-Strike. He won a Major with Cloud9 and took the Intel Grand Slam with Team Liquid. There simply isn’t a more decorated player in the region.
Unfortunately, Stewie2K’s last few years have been unremarkable: first, the decline of Team Liquid, then the disastrous stint with Evil Geniuses. Currently, the American is looking for a new team, and his victory at IEM Dallas with G2, where Stewie2K replaced HooXi, shows that the legend should not be written off and that he still has the potential to make waves.
Nicholas Nitr0 Cannella
We can’t forget about Stewie2K’s partner, with whom he won the gold bars of the Intel Grand Slam. With the release of Valorant, Nitr0 was storming back and forth: he competed in Valve’s shooter, then played in Riot Games’ title. Not long ago, he went inactive in M80 Valorant, and there are strong rumours that Nicholas wants to return to Counter-Strike 2.
What else is nitr0 known for? He was the runner-up at ESL One Cologne 2016. At that time, nitr0 played in the Major final alongside a young but hyper-talented s1mple. In total, he spent about seven years with Team Liquid, only surpassed by EliGE. In Valorant, Nitr0 reached the semi-finals of the Major in Berlin in 2021.
Adil ScreaM Benrlitom
Continuing with veterans who tried their hand at Valorant, let’s move to Europe. The king of one-taps showed his outstanding abilities in Riot Games’ shooter as well (e.g., 3rd-4th place at the World Championship), but recently, neither he nor his brother Nivera have had remarkable success.
Nivera has already announced his return to Counter-Strike, so maybe his brother will follow. After all, we sorely miss the semi-finalist of the first Major in CS history, as the Belgian added charisma both on and off the server.
Mikhail Dosia Stolyarov
Speaking of charisma, we can’t forget about Dosia, the Major champion in Krakow with Gambit Esports. Mikhail is known not only for his X GOD charisma but also for his unconventional gameplay decisions. Currently, Mikhail appears more often as an analyst, but if a good opportunity arises, why not return? One thing he can’t be denied is longevity, having competed at a high level for about 15 years, and a return from esports retirement is surely possible.
Joshua Steel Nissan
Finally, let’s talk about a player whose legend now consists of the question “What if?” Steel was part of that infamous iBUYPOWER team caught in a match-fixing scandal. While many banned players have moved on, Steel has remained active, sometimes as an analyst, and keeping in shape by playing high-level pubs.
There is information that his lifetime ban in CS was replaced with a ten-year disqualification, which will end in early 2025. It seems that Steel is seriously preparing for a comeback, and in that case, we won’t have to wait long. Fortunately, he was a captain, and age is no barrier for captains – just ask FalleN or Karrigan.
