The year 2025 began with significant changes in the G2 Esports roster. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, one of the best players in the history of Counter-Strike, has officially left the team after four years of successful cooperation. The Bosnian player, called a CS legend, was one of the key figures in G2, but now he is move to Falcons, as previously rumored.
NiKo's career: from beginnings to stardom
Born on February 16, 1997, in Bratunac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, NiKo showed an interest in gaming as a child, spending hours in his parents' Internet cafe. At the age of 9, he first started playing CS 1.6, and after the release of CS:GO, he quickly switched to the new game.
NiKo's real success came in 2015 when he joined mousesports. Despite the language barrier and even being temporarily relegated to the bench, he proved that his individual level surpassed most of his opponents. Subsequently, he was invited to join FaZe Clan for a record-breaking sum of $500,000. As a member of FaZe, NiKo won 11 titles and 7 MVP awards, but he did not win the coveted Major.
In 2020, NiKo moved to G2 Esports, where he reunited with his cousin Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač. During this time, he helped G2 to win trophies such as BLAST Premier World Final 2024, IEM Dallas 2024, and IEM Katowice 2023. Although there have been few big wins in recent years, NiKo remains one of the strongest players in the CS2 world, even at the age of 27.
Major achievements in G2
In four years at G2 Esports, NiKo has won six major LAN tournaments, including
- BLAST Premier World Final 2024
- BLAST Premier Fall Final 2024
- IEM Dallas 2024
- IEM Cologne 2023
- IEM Katowice 2023
At IEM Cologne 2023, he also received the MVP award, confirming his status as one of the best players in the world.
Why did NiKo leave G2?
Despite NiKo's impressive individual results, G2 failed to win any Major tournaments. In recent years, the team has been experiencing difficulties with stability, and the management decided to make significant changes in the lineup.
Community reaction
The official G2 Twitter account posted the following message:
“The best rifler to ever touch the game. Thank you for the past 4 years, NiKo.”
Fans and professional players are actively commenting on this news, calling it the “end of an era”. NiKo is expected to officially become a Falcons player in the near future, where he will start a new chapter in his career.
✅ NOW OFFICIAL: 🇧🇦 @G2NiKo has left 🇪🇺 @G2esports! pic.twitter.com/XUytCOHlHg
— CS2 bo3gg (@CS2_bo3gg) January 3, 2025
READ MORE: Fear left the Passion UA roster for CS2
G2 roster after the changes
After NiKo's departure, the G2 lineup looks like this:
What's next for NiKo?
In Falcons, NiKo is expected to be a key player in a new roster that will try to return to the top of the CS2 world stage. Fans are eagerly awaiting his debut with the new team to see if he can finally achieve his goal of winning a Major.
NiKo's departure from G2 is a significant event for the CS2 scene, marking the beginning of a new era for both parties.
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