s1mple

Oleksandr Olehovych Kostyliev, professionally known as s1mple, is a Ukrainian professional Counter-Strike 2 player currently competing for BC.Game Esports. Widely regarded as one of the most exceptional players in the history of Counter-Strike and the dominant figure of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive era, he achieved the world's top ranking from HLTV in 2018, 2021, and 2022, while securing second-place rankings in 2019 and 2020.

Born on October 2, 1997, Kostyliev began playing Counter-Strike at the age of four following an introduction by his elder brother. Upon the release of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2012, he transitioned to the new title and entered the professional circuit a year later. His early career included stints with LAN DODGERS, Courage Gaming, and Hellraisers, the latter joining in September 2014 alongside players including his idol, Markeloff.

Kostyliev's early competitive years involved minor setbacks and team transfers. He was removed from Hellraisers in early 2015 following an ESL in-game ban, which was extended into 2016 for ban evasion, before briefly competing for Flipsid3 Tactics. In early 2016, following a brief university study of Chinese, he relocated to Los Angeles to join Team Liquid. With Liquid, he reached the semifinals of the MLG Major Championship: Columbus and the finals of ESL One Cologne 2016, becoming part of the first North American roster to reach a Major final and earning a dedicated in-game graffiti on the Cache map.

Later in 2016, Kostyliev joined Natus Vincere (Na'Vi), replacing Danylo "Zeus" Teslenko and winning ESL One: New York 2016. After team roster adjustments forced him to assume the primary sniper role in 2017, Kostyliev delivered a historic individual season in 2018, winning tournament titles at StarSeries Season 5, CAC 2018, ESL One Cologne, and BLAST Pro Series Copenhagen. His 2018 performance yielded the highest individual HLTV rating recorded up to that point. In 2021, he led Na'Vi to victory at the PGL Major Stockholm, setting a record by winning every map played in the tournament while claiming the event MVP.

With the release of Counter-Strike 2, Kostyliev announced a temporary break from active competition in October 2023. He briefly returned via loan spells with Team Falcons in early and late 2024, competing at the BLAST Premier Spring Showdown and the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Europe RMR. In May 2025, he joined FaZe Clan on loan through the BLAST.tv Austin Major, reaching the quarterfinals, before being benched in July. Na'Vi officially released him on July 28, 2025, whereupon he signed with BC.Game Esports.

Throughout his career, Kostyliev has accumulated numerous accolades, including 21 MVP awards across major international events such as IEM Katowice, IEM Cologne, and ESL Pro League seasons. He was named Best Esports Player at The Game Awards in 2021, earned PC Player of the Year at the Esports Awards in 2018 and 2021, won the Intel Grand Slam Season 3, and received HLTV's Player of the Year awards for 2021 and 2022.