Ten Counter-Strike 2 stars jumped into a fan-service special that actually delivered on the hype. Billed as “The Most Stacked CS2 PUG of All Time,” ESL’s All-Star draft put Team m0NESY against Team donk. On the server, though, it was Team kyousuke that ran away with it, closing 13–6 on Mirage with real ±100 FACEIT Elo at stake.

The line-ups and the draft that swung it

The captains were decided by FACEIT ELO, which meant m0NESY had first pick. He chose NiKo, leaving kyousuke to snap up donk and ZywOo in quick succession. The full squads were:

• Team kyousuke: kyousuke, ZywOo, donk, frozen, Wicadia
• Team m0NESY: m0NESY, NiKo, ropz, b1t, Senzu

A standard veto left Mirage. From there, kyousuke’s five had the confidence and firepower to dictate pace.

The key beats on Mirage

• donk top-frags with 20 kills and 12 deaths, bullying mid and entries with trademark tempo.
• ZywOo steals rounds with late-round reads and tidy clutches, including sharp decisions around kitchen and short.
• Wicadia surprises with impact plays and well-timed swings that kept momentum on kyousuke’s side.

“Do this every EPL”  the community loved it

Reactions across YouTube and Reddit were overwhelmingly positive, and a big chunk of the discourse asked ESL to make this a regular feature.

• “Lowkey the best showmatch I’ve seen. Stacked teams, serious CS, great vibes.”
• “Finally, a proper All-Star for CS, like the NBA or NHL.”
• “Watching donk and ZywOo together feels like Messi and Ronaldo on the same side.”
• “Big W, ESL production. This should be a regular thing.”
• “Even NiKo thinks m0NESY was crazy not to pick donk or ZywOo.”
• “Comms were elite from ZywOo, donk and m0NESY. That’s what it takes at the top.”

It wasn’t just the highlight reels. Viewers loved the personality on show, donk joking with kyousuke, ZywOo hyping frozen, and wholesome post-round banter. One comment thanked m0NESY “for letting donk and ZywOo be on the same team,” while another teased that Falcons were “testing new team combinations.”

Image via ESL FACEIT Group

Why the format worked

• Real stakes: The ±100 FACEIT Elo twist kept it competitive.
• Super-team novelty: Rivals sharing sides gave us chemistry and comms we rarely get in officials.
• Broadcast polish: ESL’s pace, observing and sound bites made it feel premium without losing the fun.

The result

Team kyousuke beat Team m0NESY 13–6 on Mirage, with donk leading the server and ZywOo adding class in the clutch. If the community gets its way, this won’t be a one-off. The message is clear: run the ESL All-Star again, keep the draft, and let the fans feast.

kyousuke + donk + ZywOo got a victory in the showmatch against m0NESY + b1t + NiKo, with donk top fragging 20 kills on 12 deaths.

Teams played classic Mirage, for the victory kyousuke’s team got 100 FACEIT Elo each, while m0NESY’s lost 100 Elo each. pic.twitter.com/NS5PGHKX7b

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) October 9, 2025

The post Team m0NESY vs Team donk CS2 All-Star by ESL appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Danil “donk” Kryshkovets isn’t just any 18-year-old CS2 rifler, he’s Team Spirit’s crown jewel, now reportedly worth a staggering $10 million. According to the VPISKA documentary on Team Spirit, more than five organisations have tried to buy him, but Spirit isn’t entertaining any offers.

💸 10.000.000$+ is price for donk, but Team Spirit would not consider such offers

Also, Spirit’s marketing director revealed, that more than 5 different organizations tried to by donk. pic.twitter.com/8HKaSqnWjg

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) September 28, 2025

The CS2 community has had a field day with the news. One fan joked, “Falcons would even pay $20 million just to have him.” Another added, “Spirit could sell donk and somehow produce another one in a year or two.” Some sceptics pointed out that even s1mple in his prime wouldn’t fetch that much.

Donk’s price isn’t just hype, he’s proven himself on the biggest stages. Earlier this year, he claimed his 10th MVP at the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Finals, cementing his status as one of CS2’s brightest rising stars.

The big question now isn’t just about donk’s price or potential transfer, though the rumours of Falcons testing the waters are hilarious, but how many records he can shatter next. In a game where greatness usually comes from years of grinding, donk’s rapid rise suggests we might be witnessing the dawn of CS2’s next era-defining legend.

Whether Team Spirit keeps him or the community keeps dreaming of a $10 million transfer, one thing is clear: donk’s name will be one of the most talked-about in esports for years to come.

The post Team Spirit Donk’s $10 Million Price Tag Has Team Falcons Dreaming of Recruiting Him appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The CS2 community was buzzing this week after reports suggested that Danil “donk” Kryshkovets could be leaving Team Spirit if the squad failed to deliver at the upcoming Major in Budapest.

The story gained traction through CS2.bo3.gg, citing French insider Sebastien “KRL” Perez, who claimed donk was working on his English and could make a move to an international roster if Spirit underperformed. The post quickly spread across social media, fuelling speculation about one of the brightest stars in Counter-Strike potentially seeking a new challenge.

DONK MAY LEAVE SPIRIT — possibly in case of failure at the Major ‼️

donk is currently working on his English. If Spirit underperform at the Major in Budapest, he may consider moving to an international team.

📎 Source: KRL pic.twitter.com/04e9YFNGbD

— CS2.bo3.gg (@CS2_bo3gg) September 19, 2025

OverDrive Responds

Not long after, Spirit’s well-known scout Aleksey “OverDrive” Biryukov stepped in to shut down the rumours. Writing on his Telegram channel, OverDrive dismissed the claims in typical fashion, joking that “KRL drank something too much” and quipping that donk’s closest transfer was “from Stockholm airport to the hotel.”

The original quote from KRL surfaced through Turkish content creator batu on X, but context was thin, and many of the posts have since been deleted. With that, the whole story is now being seen as little more than unfounded gossip.

OverDrive has previously noted that if any organisation ever wanted to prise donk away from Spirit, the buyout would be massive. Given the player’s current form and value, it’s no surprise the organisation has no interest in letting him go.

Focus Turns to ESL Pro League

With the rumours put to rest, Spirit’s attention is firmly on the ESL Pro League Season 22. The event begins on 27 September, with Spirit entering in the second stage starting 4 October. It will also mark the debut of Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich with the main roster, adding an extra layer of anticipation.

For now, donk isn’t going anywhere, and fans will get another chance to watch him in action when Spirit return to the server in Malta.

The post Donk Transfer Rumours Dismissed as Spirit Prepare for ESL Pro League appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A new star is rising in Counter-Strike 2, and he’s only 16. Liam “MaiL09” Tügel, a Swedish rifler for Metizport, has climbed to number one on the FACEIT global leaderboards with an impressive 4,860 Elo rating.

At only 16 years old, @MaiL09cs the Swedish prodigy, has just reached #1 Elo worldwide on FACEIT.

If he holds the top spot until the end of the season, he’ll become the youngest FACEIT Champion in history, breaking the record held by @donk1337 by 6 months and 9 days! https://t.co/b9Liw8xpsB pic.twitter.com/JcD3f2L25v

— FACEIT CS2 (@FACEITcs) September 3, 2025

This achievement makes him the youngest player to ever hold the top spot, and if he can keep it until the end of Season 6, he’ll break Danil “donk” Kryshkovets’ record by six months and nine days to become the youngest FACEIT Champion in history.

Breaking Records and Building a Legacy

The teenage prodigy, born in May 2009 (yes, the “09” in his nickname is his birth year), has already built a career many pros would envy. He started competing in tournaments at just 11 and was invited to the FACEIT Pro League at 13, becoming one of the youngest ever to do so.

MaiL09 has already played more than 3,500 FACEIT matches, holding a 57% win rate. Alongside Johnny Speeds earlier this year, he helped win the Svenska Elitserien Spring 2025, before joining Norwegian organisation Metizport in July.

A Challenge Ahead

While topping the FACEIT leaderboard is a huge milestone, the hard part will be holding that spot. The Elo gap between him and other contenders isn’t massive, and the season doesn’t wrap until 23 November 2025. Donk himself, widely regarded as the best rifler in CS2, currently sits eighth, while his Team Spirit teammate Ivan “zweih” Gogin holds third.

Image via FACEITTracker

Donk dominated FACEIT Season 5 with a record 5,283 Elo, staying at the top for five consecutive seasons. Now, MaiL09 has a chance to stop his streak and carve out his own legacy as one of Counter-Strike’s brightest young stars.

What’s Next for Metizport’s Rising Talent

Beyond FACEIT, MaiL09 is focused on competing with Metizport. The squad is currently ranked 79th in the Valve Regional Standings, far from the top 32 cutoff needed to qualify for November’s StarLadder Budapest Major. They’ll continue fighting through Tier 2 tournaments this month, including European Pro League Season 2 and ESL Challenger League Season 50.

For now, all eyes are on MaiL09 to see if he can stay on top of FACEIT and officially enter the history books as the youngest champion the platform has ever seen.

The post 16 Year Old MaiL09 Overtakes donk on FACEIT, Could Become Youngest FACEIT Champion appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you were scrolling through X last night and saw that Chinese organisation TYLOO had just signed CS2 superstar Danil “donk” Kryshkovets for a record-breaking $5 million, you probably did a double take. The post went viral in minutes, racking up over 500,000 views and more than 2,500 likes before anyone could even process it.

Deleted Donk Joins Tyloo Announcement | Image via @tyloogaming on X

The idea of Asia’s biggest Counter-Strike brand scooping up the hottest talent from Team Spirit was massive news, but as most fans quickly guessed, it was too good (or too wild) to be true.

The Hack Heard Round CS2

Just a few hours later, TYLOO jumped back on their official account to set the record straight: they’d been hacked.

🚨 Our account got hacked earlier, and someone decided to drop the wildest fake news ever: “donk joins TYLOO.”

We’ve now locked the account with extra security 🔒, so no more funny business.
— This time it’s actually us tweeting 😎

— TYLOO (@tyloogaming) August 19, 2025

So yeah, no $5 million deal. No donk in TYLOO jerseys. Just a cheeky “hacker” causing chaos for a night.

OverDrive Weighs In

Of course, the drama didn’t stop there. Well-known scout and insider Alexey “OverDrive” Biryukov chimed in on Telegram with his own take. He pointed out that even if the rumour had been true, the numbers didn’t add up.

“Donk costs several times more than $5 million, so nice try.”

And he’s not wrong. Reports suggest the largest CS2 transfer so far has been Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov’s move to Falcons, which landed somewhere in the $2–2.5 million range. That deal already set a record, and Falcons were apparently willing to pay even more at the time. So for TYLOO to snag donk for $5 million? Yeah, not happening.

Why It Went Viral

Part of the reason the fake post blew up is because of who donk is right now. At just 17, the Team Spirit rifler has been tearing through the CS2 scene, and plenty of fans call him the future of the game. So when people saw TYLOO’s post, it wasn’t just believable, it was the kind of “what if” scenario that everyone wanted to talk about.

But for now, donk’s still Spirit’s golden boy. And TYLOO? Well, they’ve got stronger security on their socials and a funny little footnote in CS2 history.

The post Donk Joins TYLOO for $5M? appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

In the fast-moving world of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), few stories grab attention quite like Danil “donk” Kryshkovets. At only 18, the Russian rifler for Team Spirit has smashed his way into esports history by picking up his 10th MVP medal at the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Finals. The milestone came after Spirit’s dominant 3-0 clean sweep over The MongolZ in the grand final, adding another trophy to their collection following their IEM Cologne triumph earlier this year.

donk wins his 10th MVP at BLAST Bounty S2 https://t.co/ugAxJTHdmT

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 17, 2025

But what makes donk’s run so jaw-dropping isn’t just the number itself, it’s the pace. He’s racking up MVPs faster than legends who defined the game, sparking the big question: are we looking at CS2’s next untouchable superstar?

The Path to Victory: Spirit’s BLAST Bounty Masterclass

Team Spirit’s BLAST Bounty campaign was a showcase of teamwork backed by individual brilliance. Wins over heavyweights like MOUZ in the semis and a commanding grand final against The MongolZ cemented their dominance. Still, it was donk who stole the spotlight, posting a tournament-best rating, dropping multi-kills left and right, and turning rounds on their head with clutch plays and entry frags.

What stood out most was his self-sufficient style. Even though Spirit sat near the bottom of the playoff teams in flash assist stats, donk still thrived. Analysts pointed out that his ability to generate kills without much support makes him deadly in any setup.

It’s just so untrue, they have the worst flash assist of all the playoff teams in Cologne, and the 5th worst in the tournament.

Some people really want an unsung hero propping up a star player. Sometimes there is. With Donk that just isn’t the case. He is given lots of room to… pic.twitter.com/ngfUAxeL5f

— Harry (@JustHarryGG) August 5, 2025

This victory marks Spirit’s second straight trophy of 2025, with donk collecting his fourth MVP of the season. Fans and pros flooded X with reactions: “Spirit back-to-back. Donk 10 MVP with 2 years of high-level career,” one post read. Another put it bluntly: “Congrats Spirit, they were clearly better… Donk, 1 year and a half as pro, titles and MVP at Major, Katowice and Cologne.”

Breaking Records: Donk vs. the Legends

To really appreciate donk’s 10th MVP, you have to stack it up against the all-time greats. He now equals CS:GO icons GeT_RiGhT and kennyS on 10 MVPs, while moving past NiKo’s nine. Only three players sit above him: device with 19, s1mple with 21, and ZywOo out in front with 27.

‼️ donk earns his 10th MVP: he’s now on par with CS:GO legends! pic.twitter.com/W7vtALgB0m

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 17, 2025

The kicker? Donk reached this milestone in just 661 days since his debut at an MVP-eligible event. That’s faster than device (1,976 days), s1mple (1,977), and kennyS (1,809), and only slightly behind ZywOo’s 649-day sprint. Only GeT_RiGhT did it faster at 576 days, but that includes his CS 1.6 years, where MVPs were handed out under very different systems.

📅🏅 Time it took players to win their 10th HLTV MVP:

ZywOo – 649 days after debut at his first event that offered HLTV MVP
donk – 661
device – 1976
s1mple – 1977
kennyS – 1809

GeT_RiGhT – 576 days, but he started in 1.6 and could win there too if there were any

— EllanarkJesus (@EllanarkJesus) August 17, 2025

Unlike s1mple, who spent years refining his craft at NAVI, donk arrived fully loaded. Since joining Spirit’s main roster in mid-2023, he’s racked up MVPs at tier-one events, including the Shanghai Major in 2024, where he was crowned player of the year. His style is raw aggression and adaptability, flourishing in Spirit’s looser system.

Donk delivered superstar level performance in the most important map of his career, decider of a Major final.

I officially admit it , he is the best player of 2024, there is no more debate.

Congrats Team Spirit!

— Aleksandar Trifunovic (@kassad) December 15, 2024

By contrast, ZywOo’s road was one of consistent excellence with Vitality, while device built his tally across a marathon career with Astralis, overcoming health struggles and team rebuilds. KennyS and GeT_RiGhT helped define earlier eras with AWP wizardry and leadership. Donk? He’s pure firepower: high ADR, relentless multi-kills, and game-changing momentum shifts, like his 23-frag performance against top AWPers last year.

Surrounded by AWPers but not defeated

Spirit’s donk is the highest-rated player of the BLAST Spring Final ahead of the start of the playoffs 🔝🐉 pic.twitter.com/hjV1q2dmIo

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) June 14, 2024

Looking Ahead: A New Era in the Making

Donk’s 10th MVP isn’t just another medal, it’s a marker of a potential shift in CS2’s hierarchy. With Team Spirit in top form and donk leading the charge, more silverware seems almost inevitable. His on-camera confidence, like the cheeky “yapping” during semis, only adds to the growing aura.

The big question now isn’t whether he’ll break more records, but how many. In a game where greatness usually comes from years of grinding, donk’s rapid dominance, accelerating even s1mple’s and ZywOo’s timelines, suggests we might be witnessing the rise of CS2’s next era-defining legend.

Image Credit: @brcho_ and HLTV.org

Will he surpass them all? Right now, the CS2 world is buzzing with one answer: probably.

The post donk’s 10th MVP: Outpacing s1mple, ZywOo and the CS2 Legends at Just 18 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Team Spirit have done it again. The Russian powerhouse lifted the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Finals trophy in Malta after a clean 3–0 sweep over The MongolZ, locking in back-to-back titles following their earlier IEM Cologne win.

WE ARE YOUR BLAST BOUNTY 2025 S2 FINALS CHAMPIONS 🏆

Thank you all for your support 🤍 #BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/Kbs5aFtl6x

— Team Spirit CS2 (@Team__Spirit) August 17, 2025

It was a night of dominance, drama, and a bit of Counter-Strike magic, with the team’s young star Danil “donk” Kryshkovets once again stealing the show.

Spirit Ride the Momentum

Spirit looked locked in from the very first pistol round, taking control of Nuke and never really letting The MongolZ breathe. Even when the Mongolian side tried to claw back momentum, Spirit always seemed to have an answer.

The crowd got their fair share of highlights too, including a cheeky knife kill on Nuke from MongolZ captain Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren, which briefly gave his side a spark. But Spirit’s depth and composure proved too much to handle.

Mirage pushed both teams to overtime, with The MongolZ making it scrappy and dangerous, but Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov and newcomer Ivan “zweih” Gogin stepped up big when donk went quiet. Once overtime hit, donk came alive again, slamming the door shut on any comeback hopes.

By the time Ancient rolled around, The MongolZ were out of steam. Spirit’s pistols were perfect across all three maps, and donk put up monster numbers, including nine multi-kills and a 143 ADR to finish the job.

Another 3:0 Grand Final for Spirit 💪 pic.twitter.com/KrnjfSa83q

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 17, 2025

The Knife Kills

While Spirit were in control overall, The MongolZ gave fans two of the most memorable moments of the series: two knife kills.

First came from Spirit’s veteran in-game leader Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov, who pulled off a sneaky blade finish on Nuke to get his squad hyped early on.

Later, MongolZ captain Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren struck back with stylish knife kills of his own, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Even in a one-sided scoreline, those rare knife moments will be remembered as highlights from the Finals.

donk Hits Double Digits

The MVP award was never really in doubt. HLTV confirmed that donk earned his 10th career MVP medal — at just 18 years old. That milestone had the CS2 community buzzing, with legendary AWPer kennyS even chiming in.

Welcome to the club of 10th. He does in 2 years what some of us did in 10 😂😂

At least I’m still in the top5 (for now)

Definitely a GOAT in the making https://t.co/fdH4M7Ho6m

— kennyS (@kennyS_) August 17, 2025

It’s rare to see this kind of dominance so early in a player’s career. Donk’s ability to consistently deliver in high-stakes matches has cemented him as one of Counter-Strike’s most electrifying stars.

A Farewell for zont1x

The night also carried a bittersweet tone. Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia, who has been with Spirit since 2022, is reportedly set to leave after the Esports World Cup. Teammates gave him the honour of lifting the trophy first, a fitting send-off for a player who’s been a core part of Spirit’s rise.

zont1x probably pick up his last trophy at Spirit 💔 pic.twitter.com/DoLrBh5lCv

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 17, 2025

What’s Next?

For The MongolZ, this loss will sting. They’ve been so close to breaking through on the Tier 1 stage, but Spirit simply had too many weapons at their disposal. For Spirit, though, the win keeps their incredible momentum alive heading into the rest of the Fall season.

Tough loss today.

Thank you to everyone who believed in us and supported us.

We’ll be back stronger. pic.twitter.com/TW2xmRXhSU

— The MongolZ (@1mongolz) August 17, 2025

From donk’s 10th MVP medal to bLitz’s unforgettable knife kill, this BLAST Bounty Final had it all, but in the end, it’s another trophy in Spirit’s cabinet, and a reminder that right now, they’re the team to beat in Counter-Strike 2.

The post Team Spirit Sweep The MongolZ 3-0 to Win BLAST Bounty Fall Finals appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Team Spirit are on a roll, and MOUZ have once again been on the receiving end. In what’s now their third straight loss to the Russians in just a few weeks, Spirit came out on top 2–0 in the BLAST Bounty Fall 2025 semi-final, booking their spot in the grand final.

The clash was another reminder of the IEM Cologne final earlier this month. MOUZ showed glimpses of strength but ultimately couldn’t close things out, while Spirit looked like a side brimming with confidence and momentum.

Ancient – a Tight Opener (16–14 Spirit)

The first map was Ancient, Spirit’s pick, and it played out in nail-biting fashion. MOUZ looked strong early on with a sharp CT side, spearheaded by xertioN, who consistently got the better of Spirit’s young star donk. But every time MOUZ seemed ready to pull ahead, Spirit found ways to stay in the fight.

Veteran chopper came up huge with a couple of clutch flanks that flipped rounds on their head and gave Spirit breathing room. Despite falling behind 10–12, MOUZ managed to force overtime, but that only lit a fire under donk. After a relatively quiet showing in regulation, he came alive in the extra rounds, landing several multi-kills to push Spirit over the line 16–14.

The true star player on Spirit, @chopperis 👑 #BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/X41Kh6GK97

— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) August 16, 2025

Mirage – zweih steals the show (13–5 Spirit)

Mirage was where Spirit truly took control, and it was a case of déjà vu for anyone who watched Cologne. They ran up a dominant CT side, shutting down MOUZ’s attacks with crisp coordination and sharp shooting, before sealing the deal 13–5.

This time the spotlight wasn’t just on donk. Instead, it was Ivan “zweih” Gogin, Spirit’s 17-year-old newcomer, who stole the headlines. Since stepping into tier-one play he’s been finding his footing, but on Mirage he looked fully unleashed. A massive 1.89 rating and 39 kills across the series underlined his impact, with big multi-frags and clutch plays that made life miserable for MOUZ.

An incredible map from the new @Team__Spirit player 💪 #BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/9FqnnSY70P

— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) August 16, 2025

Spirit march to the grand final

The series win means Spirit are the first team through to the BLAST Bounty Fall 2025 grand final, leaving MOUZ to bow out in joint 3rd–4th place. They’ll now await the winner between Vitality and The Mongolz to see who they’ll face for the $480,000 prize pool.

With donk showing resilience, chopper providing experience, and zweih finally breaking out with a career-best performance, Spirit look more dangerous than ever. MOUZ pushed them close again on Ancient, but Spirit have made it clear: right now, they have MOUZ’s number.

.@TEAM__SPIRIT ARE HEADING TO THE GRAND FINAL! ✅🐉 #BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/4iAiOgnB0Q

— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) August 16, 2025

The post Spirit Beat MOUZ Again to Reach BLAST Bounty Grand Final appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A Big CS2 Transfer Shock

Team Spirit are making waves in the CS2 scene with a blockbuster signing, and it’s one that’s already dividing the community.

Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich is set to join Spirit after the Esports World Cup later this month, taking the spot of long-time member Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia. The change comes despite Spirit kicking off the season in style, winning IEM Cologne and looking every bit like a top-tier contender.

According to harumi, tN1R will join Spirit and replace zont1x on the lineup ‼️ pic.twitter.com/cvFzPxNGF0

— Counter-Strike News (@TheCSTimes) August 12, 2025

From $300k to $1.5 Million

It’s a big-money move too. HEROIC confirmed they’d sold tN1R to an undisclosed team, but it didn’t take long for the dots to be connected. According to CS2 News, Spirit forked out around $1.5 million for the Belarusian star, not a bad profit for HEROIC, who signed him only eight months ago for $300,000.

🔥EXCLUSIVE: Heroic earned $1,500,000 from the transfer of tN1R.

Eight months ago, they bought him for $300,000. pic.twitter.com/i5XzaH0cbT

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 12, 2025

HEROIC’s Director of Esports, Robin Nymann, revealed they’d turned down multiple offers before, but Spirit triggered a buyout clause. In fact, Spirit’s interest wasn’t new.

.@StrikerHLTVorg on tN1R joining Spirit:

“[Spirit] were after him for a couple of months.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/byN3wBpyGx

— HLTV Confirmed (@HLTVconfirmed) August 12, 2025

Spirit’s New-Look Roster

If all goes to plan, Spirit’s new roster will be:

• Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov
• Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
• Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov
• Ivan “zweih” Gogin
• Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich
• Sergey “hally” Shavaev (coach)

Seven Spirit Players in One Match?

In one of those “you couldn’t script it” moments, tN1R’s first EWC match with HEROIC will actually be against Spirit. Meaning there’ll effectively be seven Spirit players on the server.

tN1R’s first game will be against Spirit 💀

7 Spirit players on the server 😭 pic.twitter.com/JE4bDkCNTe

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 12, 2025

That’s because HEROIC are currently fielding Alkaren, a loanee from Spirit’s academy squad, alongside tN1R.

Fans Split on the Change

While some fans are hyped about Spirit adding another heavy-hitter alongside donk, others are questioning whether zont1x deserved to be cut at all.

zont1x didn’t deserve this 💔 pic.twitter.com/7gqiD0cIO0

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 12, 2025

The move has also reignited the ongoing debate about chopper’s role as in-game leader. Some see his experience as irreplaceable, pointing to his trophy cabinet and ability to guide young stars. Others think the team’s system leans too heavily on donk’s performance, arguing Spirit might never build a true “era” without spreading the impact across all five players.

What’s Next for Spirit?

Regardless of where you stand, one thing’s certain, Spirit aren’t afraid to shake things up. With Cologne already in their pocket and tN1R joining the mix, all eyes will be on whether this roster move pushes them closer to dominance or risks breaking what’s already working.

The post tN1R Replaces zont1x in Huge $1.5M CS2 Move to Team Spirit appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

It’s not often you see Danil “donk” Kryshkovets have an off day. The 2024 Player of the Year has built a reputation for dismantling teams almost single-handedly, but against G2, that streak of dominance finally hit a speed bump.

donk came into the BLAST Bounty Season 2 match riding a personal best, 29 maps in a row with a 1.00+ rating. That’s nearly 11 months without a bad performance on the scoreboard. But on this day, G2’s game plan (whether intentional or not) shut him down, handing him back-to-back negative-rated maps for the first time this year.

Even donk himself was surprised.

donk’s reaction on the victory: pic.twitter.com/g1C65sd2qN

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 9, 2025

G2’s Plan That Wasn’t Supposed to Be

While it might have looked like G2 had cracked the code to stop donk, coach Eetu “sAw” Saha insisted it wasn’t a targeted shutdown. Instead, they tweaked their approach, avoiding Mid early on, which naturally limited donk’s impact. “It wasn’t targeted at him, it was overall the team, and it was just the game plan we chose for this match,” sAw explained after the series.

Intentional or not, it worked. For most of the first two maps, donk couldn’t find his usual groove, and G2 were on the verge of pulling off an upset against the IEM Cologne champions.

Spirit Still Find a Way

But here’s the thing about Spirit, they’re not a one-man team. Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov, Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia, and Ivan “zweih” Gogin all stepped up when it mattered most.

The series kicked off on Mirage, where G2 started strong and put Spirit’s defence under real pressure. Spirit only scraped two of the first nine rounds, but key triples from zont1x and zweih kept them alive. A late push saw Spirit claw back to take the map 13-11, even with donk posting his first negative rating in eight months.

On Ancient, G2 hit back hard. Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač led the charge, and G2’s defence punished Spirit’s site hits again and again. The result? A 13-7 win for G2 and donk finishing with just a 0.84 rating, a rare sight for the star rifler.

That left it all to be decided on Dust2. While donk’s struggles continued, sh1ro and zont1x kept delivering in clutch moments. Álvaro “SunPayus” García and Matúš “MATYS” Šimko put up a fight for G2, but Spirit’s pistols broke the game open early in the second half. From there, they ran away with it, sealing a 13-7 win and locking in their place at the BLAST Bounty Finals.

When donk is not at his best, @sh1rocsgo rises to the occasion 👏 pic.twitter.com/4USRaRCqua

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 9, 2025

Spirit book their tickets to BLAST Bounty LAN Finals 🛫🇲🇹 pic.twitter.com/k09tUSRVBy

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 9, 2025

The Bigger Picture

For G2, it was a gamble to challenge Spirit, their first meeting since losing NiKo and m0NESY, and they came dangerously close to making it pay off. For Spirit, it’s a reminder that even when their superstar has an off day, they have the depth to get the job done.

As for donk? If history’s anything to go by, this blip won’t last long. But it’s proof that even the game’s most consistent fraggers aren’t untouchable.

The post donk’s 29 Game Positive Rating Is Over as Spirit Defeat G2 at BLAST Bounty Season 2 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.