Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev made his highly anticipated LAN debut with Falcons during ESL Challenger Katowice 2024, attracting a peak audience of 164,000 viewers, as confirmed by data from Esports Charts shared on X. This match was particularly significant as it marked s1mple’s return to LAN competition after a prolonged period of inactivity, generating considerable interest within the CS community. The debut saw Falcons face off against SAW, with the Portuguese team narrowly defeating them 13:11 on Ancient, sending Falcons to the lower bracket of the tournament.
This level of viewership demonstrates the immense popularity s1mple continues to hold in the esports scene, where his presence alone can significantly boost audience numbers. His reputation as one of the most skilled players in Counter-Strike history, coupled with his absence from competitive play, heightened the anticipation around his return. Despite the loss, the match drew significant attention, further highlighting the impact of s1mple’s name within the scene.
However, it’s noteworthy that s1mple’s first official match under the Falcons tag, which took place online during the Thunderpick World Championship 2024, drew an even larger peak of 247,000 viewers. This match marked his return to competitive play after the break. Though Falcons ultimately lost both of their matches and exited the tournament early, the viewership numbers underline how much anticipation surrounded his return to the game.
