Shox highlights five young CS2 talents to watch in 2026: xKacpersky, Dawy, xiELO, Mail09, and xelex. He emphasizes that the new generation is defined by aggression, high firepower, and confidence in taking initiative. Some of them are already gaining experience at the Tier 1 level, while others are dominating Tier 2 and academy circuits and preparing for the next step.
xKacpersky and Dawy represent the new wave of explosive entry fraggers, posting strong ADR numbers and impressive Faceit rankings. Both have shown they can compete against stronger opposition, but consistency remains the key area for improvement. xiELO, despite limited Tier 1 experience, has already made deep runs at big events and gained valuable exposure against elite teams, which could accelerate his development.
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Mail09 and xelex stand out on the academy and Tier 2 scene. Mail09 is already outperforming much of the lower-tier competition at just 16 years old, while xelex impresses with his versatility and well-rounded skill set. According to shox, 2026 could be a breakout year for these players, as this group represents the next potential generation of CS2 stars.
