Oleksandr s1mple Kostyliev has been on NAVI’s bench since late 2023. In CS2, he has played only one official match — with Falcons. Due to a lack of consistent practice, his current form remains uncertain. Meanwhile, FaZe announced on their X account that Helvijs broky Smidins has been moved to the bench, and s1mple will step in to take his place at the upcoming IEM Dallas 2025, marking his return to top-tier competition.
FaZe’s Results
After Robin ropz Kool transferred to Vitality at the end of 2024, FaZe’s performance noticeably declined. Meanwhile, Vitality have been in outstanding form, with ropz posting strong individual stats.
Here are FaZe’s results in 2025:
- Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2025 — 7–8th place
- PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 — 4th place
- BLAST Open Spring 2025 — 9–12th place
- PGL Bucharest 2025 — 3rd place
- Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 — 7–8th place
- BLAST Rivals Spring 2025 — 5–6th place
As we can see, the team has struggled to consistently stay in the top 3, and repeated underperformances indicate internal issues within the squad. The loss of ropz not only affected FaZe’s firepower but also their overall synergy and structure. Despite occasional deep runs, the inconsistency in results highlights a lack of stability and perhaps unresolved strategic or leadership problems within the roster. With rising competition from teams like Vitality, Spirit, and MOUZ, FaZe are in urgent need of a reset if they hope to stay relevant in the fight for major titles.
broky vs s1mple: A Comparison
broky’s form in recent months has been underwhelming. His stats over the last three months:
- Rating: 1.04
- IMPACT: 0.93
- ADR: 69.0
- KAST: 73.6%
These numbers are not particularly impressive for a primary AWPer, especially given the team’s overall decline.
Meanwhile, s1mple — despite having played only one official match in CS2 — posted slightly weaker numbers:
- Rating: 0.99
- ADR: 76.3
- KAST: 70.9%
- IMPACT: 1.00
This is not the same s1mple we remember from NAVI’s era of dominance, and the lack of consistent practice may affect his confidence and stability. At the same time, it has been confirmed that s1mple will replace broky in FaZe’s lineup on a loan basis, giving the team a temporary boost ahead of the crucial tournament in Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, teammates warmly said goodbye to their AWPer:
“Roughest benching off my career, something had to be done and I wanna really highlight this is not a blame on
@broky
The lineup didn’t work and I used all my experience, but with this we throw a Hail Mary at the major.
Long term we have no idea yet what’s gonna happen.” – karrigan
“Goodbye for now my friend. Watching you grow up from the little kid from fpl to the man and player you are today has been nothing short of amazing. Wish you the best of luck in whatever the future holds for you buddy.” – rain
These words from the team’s leaders highlight just how difficult and emotional this decision was for FaZe. Despite the necessary changes, mutual respect and gratitude for the years spent together remain within the team.
Fan Reactions
While FaZe leaders karrigan and rain expressed their respect and sadness over broky’s departure, fans also took to social media to share their emotions — and many of them were heartbroken.
“I have never been more saddened in my life.” – KillerComet2 | Will
“This crushes my soul to see, broky IS FaZe… gonna be hard to watch them without his name being there. Hope he bounces back with the right team to lead him to more trophies. Thank you broky. <3” – ooft
These comments echo the overwhelming sentiment within the CS2 community — that broky wasn’t just a key part of the roster, but a symbol of FaZe’s identity. His calm playstyle, clutch potential, and years of loyalty made him a fan favorite, and his absence will undoubtedly be felt by many.
s1mple’s Form in Falcons: Flashes of Brilliance Amid Instability
After joining Falcons in 2024, s1mple delivered several strong individual performances, showing that he’s still capable of winning rounds on his own. With an average rating around 1.05, he remains an impactful player.
However, his overall impact was overshadowed by poor synergy with the team — s1mple often looked disconnected from Falcons’ overall structure. Additionally, his time with the roster was far too short to make a definitive assessment of his form. He didn’t have enough time to fully adapt, and the team itself struggled to build an effective system around him.
Overall, s1mple in Falcons showed flashes of his old brilliance, but lacked the stable support and defined role needed to fully unlock his potential in CS2.
READ MORE: Okay, s1mple’s cooking stream was actually fun and a bit cringe (but in a good way!)
Betting on a Legend: Can s1mple Bring FaZe Back to the Top?
Replacing broky with s1mple seems like a bold but logical move. FaZe are in need of a spark — a superstar capable of shifting the momentum in their favor. Even if not in peak form, s1mple remains a world-class player whose experience at top-tier events could prove crucial.
However, without proper system support and the ability to adapt to FaZe’s style, the impact of this change might only be short-term. Everything depends on whether s1mple can quickly regain his form and adjust to his new role in the team. IEM Dallas 2025 will be a true test — both for him and for FaZe as a whole.
