device (Nicolai Reedtz)
coldzera (Marcelo David)
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
device (Nicolai Reedtz) leads 2 of 2 categories. Our all-time ranking places device (Nicolai Reedtz) at #6 and coldzera (Marcelo David) at #7.
The case for device (Nicolai Reedtz)
Nicolai Reedtz, the AWPer known as device, was the anchor of Astralis, the most dominant team in Counter-Strike history. He won four Majors, ELEAGUE Atlanta 2017, FACEIT London 2018, IEM Katowice 2019 and StarLadder Berlin 2019, a total matched by no one before his generation, and captured the first Intel Grand Slam during a period when Astralis simply dwarfed the field. Astride a disciplined, utility-driven system, device was the consistent star sniper who converted his team's structural edge into rounds, ranking among the world's top players year after year without ever chasing the flashiest highlight. Where s1mple represented individual genius, device represented ruthless team-built excellence, and the two defined opposite poles of the same era. His four Majors and sustained top-tier consistency make him one of the most decorated shooter players ever and the emblem of Counter-Strike's greatest dynasty.
The case for coldzera (Marcelo David)
Marcelo David, known as coldzera, was the world's best Counter-Strike player at the height of Brazil's golden generation. Playing for Luminosity and then SK Gaming alongside FalleN and fer, he won consecutive Majors in 2016, MLG Columbus and ESL One Cologne, and was named the HLTV number-one player of the year in both 2016 and 2017, back-to-back seasons of individual supremacy. His jumping, no-scope quad kill against Team Liquid at MLG Columbus 2016 was voted the play of the year and remains one of the most replayed moments in CS. A cerebral, positionally brilliant rifler, he made the game look easy during a peak few have matched. Later roster moves diluted his form, but for two years he was untouchable, and his double HLTV crown and two Majors secure his place among the very best the shooter has produced.