Is s1mple Switching to Valorant? The NAVI Ace Responds to Recent Claims

Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev has addressed the recent rumors surrounding his potential move to Valorant

Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev has been on an indefinite hiatus, and it has prompted speculation that he is considering a move from CS2 to Valorant. The NAVI star has finally addressed these rumors in a recent Twitch stream.

Is s1mple Switching to Valorant?

s1mple unequivocally stated that he is not contemplating transitioning from Counter-Strike 2 to Valorant at this juncture in his illustrious gaming career. The Ukrainian esports sensation took the opportunity to address these speculations during one of his personal Twitch broadcasts, where he provided insights into his future gaming plans and made it clear that Valorant is not currently on his radar.

Photo Credit: Natus Vincere

s1mple went on to share that his recent hiatus from competitive play was primarily for personal reasons, which he has chosen to keep private. In his candid discussion, he emphasized that, despite the break, he has never entertained the idea of making a transition to a different esports discipline.

“First of all, I took a break. Most of you don't know why I did it, and I don't want to talk about it,” he said. “Switching to Valorant? No, I'm not thinking about it at all. And I never had such thoughts. Maybe I thought about it a year and a half ago, but definitely not now. I think it's obvious.”

This is not the first time where s1mple's name has been associated with a potential transition to Valorant. In 2021, renowned Twitch personality and former CSGO professional Michael “shroud” Grzesiek, had shared his perspective on the matter. Shroud suggested that if world-class players of s1mple's caliber decided to make the switch to Valorant, they could potentially amass earnings that surpass their entire career earnings in just one year.

The world of Counter-Strike witnessed a significant exodus of high-profile players who made the leap to Valorant. Notable figures like Nick “nitr0” Cannella, Spencer “Hiko” Martin, and Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom, to name just a few, transitioned from the CSGO stage to embrace Riot Games' tactical shooter, Valorant, following a successful stint in the Counter-Strike scene.

When asked about the prospect of him entering the competitive Valorant scene, s1mple didn't shut the door on the idea completely. He did, however, emphasize that there are still a number of objectives he aims to accomplish in his current gaming career before considering a move to Valorant.

“I don’t know, maybe when I’m older,” he said during a Twitch stream. “There are still a lot of things I need to win in Counter-Strike.”

At that time, s1mple had not yet secured a victory in a Counter-Strike Major tournament. The wait, however, came to an end just a month and a half later when he triumphantly raised the PGL Major Stockholm 2021 trophy wearing a Natus Vincere shirt. The gifted AWPer might pursue significant achievements in the CS2 era before considering the prospects of taking on a fresh challenge in Valorant.