In a surprising revelation during the StarLadder Budapest Major, Ukrainian star Oleksandr 's1mple' Kostyliev shared that he was close to joining 100 Thieves to team up with Håvard 'rain' Nygaard, reuniting the two after a period when s1mple temporarily filled in for FaZe this past summer. This potential move would have united two of the most renowned and skilled players in the Counter-Strike community under one banner.
However, despite the excitement surrounding this pairing, the negotiations didn't come to fruition. According to s1mple, the plans fell apart mainly because the timing didn't work out for everyone involved. The details of how far along these discussions had progressed remain unclear, but what is known is that the focus shifted elsewhere—specifically toward Nicolai 'device' Reedtz of Astralis, as reports suggest that 100 Thieves pivoted to acquire him instead.
Adding another layer to this story is the ongoing upheaval at BC.Game, which has been actively restructuring its roster. Recently, they have parted ways with or benched several key players, including Aleksandar 'CacaNito' Kjulukoski, Nemanja 'nexa' Isaković, and Luka 'emi' Vuković. Meanwhile, BC.Game is reportedly making significant investments to build a top-tier team centered around s1mple, who is also said to be the highest-paid player in CS2—earning around $130,000 per month, according to some reports.
Given all these developments, it's quite intriguing to think that the allure of reuniting with rain might have been enough to tempt s1mple away from BC.Game, even amidst lucrative offers. The choice between staying with a high-paying organization and rejoining a legendary teammate raises interesting questions about what truly motivates top-tier players—financial incentive or the desire to compete alongside familiar and trusted colleagues.
And this is the part most people miss: in the high-stakes world of professional esports, relationships and team chemistry can sometimes outweigh even the biggest paychecks. Would you prioritize a proven partnership over a lucrative contract? Or do you think the allure of money always wins out? Drop your thoughts—this debate isn't over yet.
