Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev is once again in the spotlight. The BC Game player stated that he lacks strong opponents on the Tier-2 scene. However, within a day his team lost to Alliance and RUBY, leaving the European Pro League Series 2 in 5th–8th place. Today they face a decisive match against ESC.
Boring games lately, waiting for real opponent to humble me
— Sasha (@s1mpleO) September 20, 2025
SITUATION ANALYSIS
s1mple adapted quickly to BC Game, but the team is still searching for stability. Despite a 60% win rate over the last three months, defeats to Alliance and RUBY exposed the lineup’s weaknesses. The player himself is showing strong individual stats (rating 1.29, Sniping – 92/100, Clutch – 91/100), but team performance is still lacking.
BC Game currently sits at #43 in the world rankings, far below s1mple’s ambitions. Today’s match against ESC could be their chance to get back into contention, as a win would grant them the opportunity for a rematch against Alliance in the ESL Challenger League lower-bracket final.
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH BC GAME
s1mple’s move to BC Game in July 2025 was seen as a chance to revive the team, but so far they have wavered between local successes and painful failures. In the past three weeks they defeated OG (2:0), ESC (2:1), and AMKAL (2:0), but collapsed in key matches against Alliance (0:2) and RUBY (0:2).
In Valve’s rankings, the roster holds only 43rd place, despite a sharp climb from the top-70 back in August. Their map pool also lacks stability: the team looks confident on Train and Mirage (100% and 73.3% win rates respectively), but struggles badly on Overpass and Anubis (33% and 0%).
Individually, s1mple remains in top form: average rating 1.29, Sniping – 92/100, Clutch – 91/100. However, a low Entry rating (10/100) suggests that the Ukrainian is taking on the role of closer rather than opener, making the team heavily reliant on teammates who often can’t perform at a Tier-1 level.
IMPORTANCE FOR S1MPLE
Performances at Tier-2 tournaments serve as a test before the main goal: the Major in Budapest. If BC Game cannot stabilize their play, their chances of reaching the top stage of the Major will significantly decrease. For s1mple, this period is a test of endurance and proof that his return to top-level CS2 has real potential.
FORECAST
The coming weeks will be decisive. If BC Game overcome ESC and manage to take revenge on Alliance, the team will regain confidence. However, without stronger synergy, even s1mple’s phenomenal form won’t guarantee stable results. The optimistic scenario is securing a spot in the world’s top 30 by the end of the year.
