S1mple's $3 Million Buyout from NAVI Shocks the Esports World: Will He Return to CS?

An OverDrive insider recently revealed on Twitter that the buyout price for Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyljev from NAVI is set at a staggering $3,000,000. This news quickly caused a stir in the esports community, as the amount is notably high.

Since October 2023, s1mple has been on the NAVI bench, having stepped down from the team voluntarily. Interestingly, his departure came just before IEM Sydney 2023, the first major CS2 tournament. Since then, he hasn't played a single map in CS2. However, in February 2024, s1mple made a brief return, joining the Falcons on a rental basis for one tournament. Unfortunately, the team was eliminated in their first match, losing 1-2 to Metizport.

After this short stint, s1mple returned to the bench. During this time, he launched his own esports school, though it has since closed. These days, s1mple occasionally streams and teases a return to competitive CS, though the timing of his comeback remains uncertain.

Many fans are eagerly awaiting the return of "The King," but one possible reason for his absence from the scene is his contract situation. Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov has been filling in for him on NAVI's main roster, and other organizations may be hesitant to pay such a high buyout for a player who hasn't competed professionally in over a year.