s1mple (Oleksandr Kostyliev)
device (Nicolai Reedtz)
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Dead even across the measured categories. Our all-time ranking places s1mple (Oleksandr Kostyliev) at #2 and device (Nicolai Reedtz) at #6.
The case for s1mple (Oleksandr Kostyliev)
Oleksandr Kostyliev, known as s1mple, is the most acclaimed Counter-Strike player in history, a hybrid rifler and AWPer whose individual skill ceiling redefined what was possible. Playing for Natus Vincere, he was named the HLTV number-one player of the year in 2018 and again in 2021, and holds the record for the most HLTV MVP medals of any player. His crowning team achievement came at the PGL Major Stockholm 2021, where he led Na'Vi to their first Major title and was named the event's most valuable player after a dominant run. For years he was the benchmark against whom every other player was measured, capable of single-handedly winning rounds that seemed lost. Even as CS transitioned to CS2, his peak remains the standard for individual brilliance in the tactical-shooter genre, and his highlight reel is the most celebrated in the game.
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.