Counter-Strike has evolved from a semi-amateur discipline into an esport with multi-million dollar contracts. Today, player transfers are not just sporting decisions but serious investments. Organizations are willing to spend enormous sums to build star-studded rosters and achieve international success.
In this selection, we’ve compiled the ten most expensive transfers in the game’s history. These are deals that changed the course of careers, ushered in new eras, and became major talking points in the esports world.
Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev – NAVI ($420,000, 2016)
Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev moved from Team Liquid to Natus Vincere in 2016. This marked the beginning of a legendary era: he quickly became the face of the team and one of the greatest players in Counter-Strike history. At the time, the $420,000 transfer fee was considered unprecedented — but it would prove to be a bargain in hindsight.
Over the years, s1mple won all of his career trophies under the NAVI banner, including a Major title at PGL Stockholm 2021, where he was also crowned MVP. He was named HLTV’s Player of the Year three times (2018, 2021, 2022) and led NAVI through its most dominant era. His impact went far beyond statistics — s1mple brought NAVI international prestige and shaped the organization’s global identity.
Even in the CS2 era, s1mple remained under contract with NAVI, playing on loan for Falcons and later FaZe. His most recent stint with FaZe ended at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, where he helped the team reach the playoffs. Despite losing in the quarterfinals, his individual form was impressive — especially after a 1.5-year break from top-tier level.
Today, fans eagerly await his full-time return to professional play. While NAVI has yet to confirm any plans, s1mple’s legacy with the club is already immortal. He is more than just a signing — he is NAVI’s greatest icon.
Robin “ropz” Kool – FaZe Clan ($450,000, 2022)
Estonian star rifler Robin “ropz” Kool left MOUZ to join FaZe in early 2022. Known for his cold-blooded aim and surgical decision-making, ropz instantly elevated FaZe’s tactical depth — and the results followed immediately. That same year, FaZe won the PGL Major Antwerp, marking ropz’s first Major title and solidifying his place among CS elite.
Beyond the Major, the transfer yielded a cascade of top-tier trophies: IEM Katowice 2022, ESL Pro League, and the prestigious Intel Grand Slam Season 4. Ropz became a cornerstone of FaZe’s golden era — and after the launch of CS2, he helped the team reach an unprecedented eight consecutive grand finals, a record in the new game’s history.
Eventually, his contract with FaZe expired, and in a shock move, he joined Team Vitality on a free transfer. Since then, ropz has only raised the bar: alongside ZywOo, flameZ, mezii, and apEX, he won seven tier-1 tournaments in a row — including a CS2 Major. While FaZe reaped full value from his transfer, Vitality may be enjoying his true peak.
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut – Team Vitality (~$500,000, 2018)
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut made his professional debut with Team Vitality in 2018, signing from the French team aAa for a reported fee of around $500,000. It was a bold move at the time — investing half a million into an 18-year-old with no tier-1 experience. But it quickly became clear: this was not just a player, but a generational talent.
ZywOo stormed onto the scene with unprecedented dominance, earning HLTV’s Player of the Year title in both 2019 and 2020 — his first two full years on the pro circuit. His consistency, humility, and mechanical brilliance made him not only a fan favorite, but also the undeniable face of Vitality.
Under his leadership, Vitality transformed from a local French project into one of the strongest international lineups in CS history. After a brief slump in 2021–2022, the organization rebuilt around ZywOo with a new European core — a decision that paid off massively. In the CS2 era, Vitality have been nearly unstoppable.
In 2025 alone, the team won seven tier-1 tournaments in a row, including the Austin Major, where ZywOo was once again crowned MVP. This dominant run has sparked discussions of a new era in CS history — with ZywOo firmly at its center.
Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov – G2 Esports ($600,000, 2022)
When G2 paid $600,000 to buy him out of NAVI Junior in 2022, the move sparked debate across the scene — was it too soon, too risky, too expensive? But m0NESY silenced the doubters almost immediately.
Armed with lightning-fast AWP mechanics and uncanny clutch instincts, m0NESY became a highlight machine. His breakout moment came in 2023, when he led G2 to the IEM Katowice title, earning MVP honors and cementing himself as one of the top AWPers in the world.
After tree strong years with G2, m0NESY made a blockbuster move in 2025 — joining Team Falcons, where he reunited with superstar rifler NiKo. Expectations were sky-high, and while the team showed promise, they underperformed at the BLAST.tv Austin Major, exiting earlier than expected. Despite the setback, m0NESY’s individual level remained elite.
Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz – NiP ($850,000, 2021)
In one of the most shocking transfers in CS:GO history, Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz — a four-time Major champion and the face of Astralis — left his legendary team to join Ninjas in Pyjamas in 2021. The $850,000 deal was the biggest ever at the time, sending ripples through the esports world. NiP hoped that dev1ce would lead them into a new era of Scandinavian dominance.
But the reality didn’t match the hype. Dev1ce struggled with personal issues throughout his time in Sweden and never seemed fully comfortable in the NiP system. Despite flashes of brilliance, he failed to reach the heights fans expected.
During his year and a half with NiP, the team won only one notable trophy — IEM Fall 2021 Europe. Beyond that, their performances at Majors and tier-1 events were underwhelming. Eventually, dev1ce took a break from competition and later returned to Astralis, ending his NiP chapter quietly.
Nikola “NiKo” Kovač – G2 Esports ($900,000, 2020)
In late 2020, G2 made a record-breaking move by signing Nikola “NiKo” Kovač from FaZe Clan for $900,000. Widely regarded as one of the greatest riflers and aimers in Counter-Strike history, NiKo was expected to be the centerpiece of G2’s new superteam — and he delivered.
His arrival instantly boosted G2’s firepower, but it was the addition of m0NESY in 2022 that created one of the most electrifying duos in CS:GO. NiKo and m0NESY became the backbone of G2, consistently putting up elite numbers and carrying the team to deep playoff runs.
Although G2 never managed to win a Major during NiKo’s time — often falling short in playoffs — the team still lifted six international trophies, including IEM Katowice 2023, IEM Cologne, and BLAST World Final. NiKo’s mechanical dominance and leadership turned G2 into perennial contenders.
In the winter of 2025, NiKo made another high-profile move — this time to Team Falcons, joining forces with m0NESY once again. The move was a free transfer, but it signaled another ambitious project for NiKo, now aiming to chase the one missing piece: a Major title.
Marcelo “coldzera” David – FaZe Clan ($1,000,000, 2019)
In 2019, FaZe Clan made history by signing Marcelo “coldzera” David from MIBR for a record-breaking $1,000,000 — the first CS:GO transfer to officially hit the seven-figure mark. A two-time HLTV Player of the Year (2016, 2017) and Major MVP, coldzera brought star power, clutch experience, and championship pedigree.
But his time in FaZe never quite reached the heights of his legendary SK/MIBR era. While there were moments of brilliance, coldzera struggled to consistently impose himself against top-tier opposition. The FaZe roster around him lacked long-term stability, with frequent role swaps and lineup changes affecting synergy.
Still, coldzera and FaZe managed to claim a few notable victories: BLAST Pro Series Copenhagen 2019 and IEM New York 2020 Europe. These wins proved that the roster had potential — but without a deep Major run or sustained tier-1 dominance, the results ultimately fell short of expectations.
By the time coldzera left the team in 2021, it was clear that the investment didn’t deliver on its full promise. While the name value was immense, the impact was limited.
Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov – Team Spirit ($1,100,000, 2024)
In the winter of 2024, Team Spirit made headlines by acquiring Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov from Cloud9 for a staggering $1,100,000 — setting a new record for an individual Counter-Strike transfer at the time. Known for his ultra-consistent AWPing, calculated style, and clutch potential, sh1ro was seen as the final piece for Spirit’s rise to tier-1 greatness.
And the results came fast. In his debut year, sh1ro helped Team Spirit win IEM Katowice 2024 and, most importantly, their first-ever Major title — a monumental achievement for the organization. His synergy with young prodigies like donk and magixx created one of the most balanced and explosive rosters in the game.
While 2025 didn’t match the previous year in terms of silverware, Spirit remained a top-tier contender throughout. Their relative drop in results was less about decline — and more about the unstoppable run of Vitality’s new era, which overshadowed nearly every other team on the circuit.
Importantly, sh1ro has solidified his status as one of the best snipers in CS2, combining methodical positioning with world-class clutch instincts. His presence remains a cornerstone of Spirit’s game plan — and a nightmare for opponents.
Martin “stavn” Lund + Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard – Astralis (~$2,000,000, 2023)
In one of the most ambitious double signings in CS history, Astralis acquired stavn and jabbi from Heroic in 2023, paying a combined fee of around $2,000,000. It was a dramatic move that symbolized a “Danish power shift” — pulling key players from a domestic rival to revive Astralis’ legacy.
Initially, the expectations were sky-high. But over the next two years, the results didn’t match the investment. In 2024, Astralis failed to qualify for both Majors, exited early from most S-tier events, and never placed higher than top 3. Despite reaching playoffs at tournaments like IEM Chengdu and CCT Global Finals, they lacked consistency and often fell to stronger international lineups. Financial reports later revealed that the team was operating under significant debt, compounding the pressure to perform.
The struggles continued into 2025: Astralis missed a third consecutive Major, bombing out in the Austin Major qualifier, and stumbled through the early months of the CS2 season. However, a late roster overhaul finally brought signs of life. At PGL Astana 2025, the team made a surprise run to the grand final, finishing second — their best result in nearly two years.
While this could mark a turning point, the overall return on investment for stavn and jabbi has been disappointing so far. Astralis are still chasing their first tier-1 trophy in the CS2 era.
Heroic core – Team Falcons (~$10,000,000, 2024)
The largest transfer in CS2 history took place in early 2024, when Team Falcons acquired four players connected to Heroic: TeSeS, kyxsan, degster, and NertZ. The deal — including buyouts, salaries, and performance bonuses — was estimated at a staggering $10 million, setting a new benchmark not just for Counter-Strike, but for all of esports.
From Heroic’s perspective, the sale was a masterclass in roster management. The Danish organization has earned a reputation as one of the most efficient talent pipelines in the scene: consistently developing rosters, selling stars at peak value, then rebuilding with fresh talent — and repeating the cycle. This transfer was the ultimate example. With the outgoing core sold for record money, Heroic quickly assembled a new lineup and, within months, climbed back into the top tier of competition.
For Falcons, however, the return has been mixed. Despite the massive investment, the new core has only secured a single trophy — and that came under the previous version of the lineup, still featuring degster, before the full rebuild took shape. Ironically, they won that event by defeating m0NESY, who had already signed with Falcons but was finishing his run with G2.
Since then, the team has struggled with identity and consistency, regularly rotating players and failing to establish themselves as a dominant force — especially with the rise of Vitality’s new era.
While there’s still time for this experiment to succeed, Falcons’ $10 million gamble remains largely unproven.
Final Thoughts
The history of the most expensive transfers in Counter-Strike isn’t just about the numbers — it’s about ambition, risk, and the pursuit of greatness. Some deals sparked legendary careers, others fell short of expectations, but all reflect the growing level of professionalism and attention around the game. With the rise of CS2, the transfer market continues to break records — and this may only be the beginning of a new financial era in esports.
