Another chapter of Counter-Strike has come to an end, and a new one has begun. In this article, we reflect on the greatest players in the history of Valve's shooter. Determining the best players in the entire history of CS is a challenging task. Everyone has their own criteria and memories of past events. We have tried to be as objective as possible in writing this article.

Legendary Counter-Strike gamers

In different periods of CS history, there were top esports players who left their mark. In CS 1.6, the names of Wiktor "TaZ" Wojtas, Filip "NEO" Kubski, and Patrik "f0rest" Lindberg come to mind. The peak period for the Poles in CS 1.6 was from 2004 to 2007 with the Pentagram G-Shock team. With this team, they won 10 tournaments and earned $50,000 in prizes. Yes, in those times, tournament prizes were much more modest than they are today.

As for f0rest, his best team in CS 1.6 was Fnatic. In Fnatic's roster, the Swedish esports player became a champion 25 times and won over $145,000 in prizes. He represented the organization from 2006 to 2010, becoming a true legend of the club.

The transition to CS:GO wasn't entirely smooth for professional players, but where else could they go? The new game engine, Valve's introduction of majors, and the addition of skins and stickers contributed to the global development of the pro scene. However, what about individual players?

The history of CS:GO has lasted for a little over 10 years. At different times, various teams dominated, and certain players stood out in their lineups. The most prominent ones include Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund, Olof "olofmeister" Kajbjer, Ladislav "GuardiaN" Kovács, Kenny "kennyS" Schrub, Marcelo "coldzera" David, and Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz.

We didn't include Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut in the list of CS:GO legends due to his young age. While he has made a significant contribution to CS:GO history, it might not be sufficient. You may have noticed that there is another star player missing from this list, and we will talk about him shortly.

Best CS:GO player of all time

Who is the best player in the history of CS:GO? It's a question that everyone answers differently. Some choose veterans who transitioned from 1.6 and reached the highest level in CS:GO, while others decide between Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, dev1ce, ZywOo, and a few other esports players. The debate can go on endlessly.

Let's set aside personal opinions and turn to statistics. s1mple showcased his supernatural form from 2016 to 2022. The Ukrainian sniper played four times more playoff matches in majors than ZywOo, his main competitor. Dev1ce, on the other hand, falls out of contention due to his inconsistent form.

Kostyliev holds 21 MVP awards, is a major winner, the Intel Grand Slam Season 3 champion, and has numerous other tier-1 event victories. ZywOo doesn't quite measure up. Therefore, officially, s1mple is the best player in the history of CS:GO! Most analysts, commentators, pro players, and other influencers in the CS world would agree. What about you? Do you agree?

Top CS2 players history

The history of CS2 has just begun, and it's still too early to talk about the best players in the new version of the shooter. However, even now, a bold forecast can be made. Based on the latest results and individual form, the leading contender for the title of the best player in the history of CS2 is ZywOo. Herbaut has returned to his prime condition, becoming the best player of 2023, and has expressed the intention to continue in the same spirit.

Who can compete with him? Certainly, s1mple, if he decides to return to the professional scene. Also, let's not forget about Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov. The G2 Esports sniper is progressing more and more, and he is only 18 years old. There is also Danil "donk" Kryshkovets, who at the age of 17 literally burst onto the tier-1 scene and began to conquer it. His transfer to a top club is not far off.

Becoming the best among the best is not easy. It requires finding the perfect balance between dedication to one's craft and talent. Continuous self-improvement and refining of skills are the keys to success!