In a recent interview after his match against BC.Game at IEM Dallas 2025, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostylev shared his impressions of returning to top-level competition, noting that it was a long-awaited moment. s1mple mentioned how long it had been since he had won a best-of-three series, and this was the key point of his story.

It's been a long time since I won a best-of-three. I think it's been two years. Last time I won was with NAVI in the semifinals, before we lost to MOUZ in a best-of-five, years ago.

Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostylev

These words emphasize how important it was for him to taste victory at the top level again.

Preparation with FaZe

s1mple spoke in detail about the preparation with the new team, focusing on the time they spent together before the tournament. He mentioned the limited practice they had, especially with skullz , which was a challenge for the team's synchronization.

FaZe? We had nine days in a row. Starting from the 6th of May to the 15th. And with skullz we had only three.

Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostylev

This story reflects how important it was for them to make the most of every minute of training, despite the limited time available.

Future plans: Bootcamp and playoffs

At the end of the interview, s1mple shared his plans for the future. He spoke about the team's ambitious goals, including playoff qualification and further training. His words reflect his determination and belief in success. He also said that if the team makes it to the playoffs, Rain, who is now being replaced by Skullz, will join them.  

First of all, we will try to reach the playoffs. If we succeed, Rain will play in the playoffs, and if we fail, he will come to the boot camp, which will last 10-12 days.

Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostylev

He hopes to do well at the Major, which emphasizes his motivation and readiness for new challenges.

IEM Dallas 2025 takes place from May 19 to 25 in Dallas, United States, with a prize pool of $1,000,000. You can follow the news, schedule, and tournament results via this link.