The CIS region (Commonwealth of Independent States, including countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan,…) has a long-standing tradition and a developed eSports scene. In the 10 years of CS:GO’s history, the CIS region has produced many famous pro players and large teams that frequently participate in major tournaments. However, to date, the CIS region has only secured 2 Major titles (Virtus.Pro at ESL One Katowice 2014 and Gambit at PGL Krakow 2017), a rather modest achievement compared to their European counterparts.
However, since the beginning of 2021, we have witnessed a new wave with the remarkable rise of teams from the CIS region on the global stage. Names like Virtus.Pro and Gambit Esports have had outstanding performances and caused upsets against formidable opponents. So what is the reason? Let’s find out together!
1. Outstanding Individual Skills
In a recent interview with HLTV, Astralis star dev1ce shared: “There are too many talented players in the CIS region […] We couldn’t keep up with Gambit players in terms of individual skill, and CS is a game where you need to take down your opponents as quickly as possible.”
Indeed, the first thing we can notice about CIS teams is that they possess exceptional individuals with top-tier skills. At Virtus.Pro, YEKINDAR has had phenomenal performances since the beginning of the year; his aggressive and proactive playstyle has given many top teams headaches. Combined with the stability of JAME, this duo has led Virtus.Pro to victory at Flashpoint Season 2, cs_summit 7, and a runner-up finish at IEM Katowice 2021 at the end of February.
If Virtus.Pro has YEKINDAR and JAME, then Gambit Esports boasts Sh1ro and Ax1le. This duo has significantly contributed to the championship at IEM Katowice 2021 and the runner-up position at ESL Pro League Season 13 just days ago. Particularly, even though they did not win the championship, Ax1le still had an impressive rating of 1.28 with a K/D of +137, earning him the title of MVP of the tournament.
2. Youth and Hard Work
Another strength of CIS teams is their youth. This is most evident when we look at the Gambit Esports roster, whose average age is only 21.2, a rather rare figure on the global stage. Virtus.Pro also has an average age of 22.2, while Na`Vi’s average is 21.6 years old.
apEX, IGL of Team Vitality commented: “What I like most about CIS players is their hard work; for them, becoming a pro player is a dream, and they always strive to improve themselves in every possible way.”
nafany, IGL of Gambit, also revealed in a recent interview: “For young players, victory is the only goal, and we do not care whether we are playing on LAN or online. […] I believe Gambit is one of the teams that spends the most time bootcamping and practicing; we usually only have one day to rest and relax before going back to compete.”
Thus, we can see that the recent dominance of Virtus.Pro and Gambit is not just luck, but entirely due to the talent and hard work of these players.
3. The Decline of Opponents’ Performance
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the professional CS:GO scene has had to say goodbye to LAN tournaments and return to an online format since March 2020. This particularly affects top teams as they have been forced to compete continuously over the past year with little time to rest and regain form.
Teams like Astralis, Vitality, and Na`Vi have struggled to maintain their form and suffered surprising losses. Despite these teams implementing various measures such as roster changes or playing with a six-man lineup, time has shown that these are merely temporary solutions with no long-term effectiveness. However, this has not been an issue for the young and vibrant players who are always aiming for titles.
“I think the continuous online play has made some players feel fatigued and lose motivation. They are used to traveling to various locations around the world to compete, but now they have to sit at home and practice day in and day out. That will definitely affect their competitive motivation, and the changes in the rankings speak for themselves.” – nafany
According to the rankings from the reputable HLTV site updated on April 12, Gambit Esports has risen to the #1 position for the first time, with 3 CIS teams making it into the top 10: Na`vi (#4), Virtus.Pro (#5), and Spirit (#9), more than any other region. With the rise of these CIS teams, 2021 promises to be an exciting year for professional CS:GO, especially with the potential return of large-scale LAN tournaments at the end of the year.