Team Falcons at Crosshairs
Drama
25 June 2025 13:46
Saudi-backed esports organization Team Falcons has officially welcomed 17-year-old sensation kyousuke to its roster. The announcement came on June 23 and confirmed long-running rumors that the Falcons had been eyeing the former Team Spirit Academy standout.
The teenager now joins a team loaded with star power — NiKo, m0NESY, kyxsan, and TeSeS — but also steeped in controversy following the benching of Emil "Magisk" Reif. The four-time Major winner, and Falcons' most experienced and longest-serving player, was sidelined just before the signing was made public.
While the team hasn’t disclosed the financials behind kyousuke’s transfer, prominent CIS insider and Team Spirit scout OverDrive claims the deal cost a staggering $2 million. If accurate, it would place the move among the most expensive in CS history — a fact that, while shocking to some, is consistent with Falcons’ aggressive spending spree over the past year.
From temporarily acquiring s1mple from NAVI to luring NiKo from G2, and investing heavily in m0NESY and other Heroic stars, Falcons have repeatedly flexed their financial muscle in an effort to fast-track their path to glory. However, their approach has not been universally praised.
“Imagine if other huge successful rosters had this mentality. We’d never have a lineup like Astralis, current Vitality, early 2020s Na’Vi, etc. So many more examples. This is why I hope they (Falcons) never win anything even if I’m a fan of some of the players. So much about CS is so genuine and due to the love of the scene. Can’t just buy that,” one fan wrote in a widely shared Reddit thread following the signing.
Others voiced concern about the intense expectations now placed on kyousuke, who is making his debut in the tier 1 scene amid immense scrutiny. Social media has already begun circulating memes comparing his expected output to that of CS2 superstar donk, sparking debate over whether the teen will be given time to grow or face early dismissal.
Still, not all the reception has been critical. Many in the community are intrigued to see how this newly formed "superteam" will fare when the CS2 2025 competitive season resumes later this summer.
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Drama
25 June 2025 13:46
Saudi-backed esports organization Team Falcons has officially welcomed 17-year-old sensation kyousuke to its roster. The announcement came on June 23 and confirmed long-running rumors that the Falcons had been eyeing the former Team Spirit Academy standout.
The teenager now joins a team loaded with star power — NiKo, m0NESY, kyxsan, and TeSeS — but also steeped in controversy following the benching of Emil "Magisk" Reif. The four-time Major winner, and Falcons' most experienced and longest-serving player, was sidelined just before the signing was made public.
While the team hasn’t disclosed the financials behind kyousuke’s transfer, prominent CIS insider and Team Spirit scout OverDrive claims the deal cost a staggering $2 million. If accurate, it would place the move among the most expensive in CS history — a fact that, while shocking to some, is consistent with Falcons’ aggressive spending spree over the past year.
From temporarily acquiring s1mple from NAVI to luring NiKo from G2, and investing heavily in m0NESY and other Heroic stars, Falcons have repeatedly flexed their financial muscle in an effort to fast-track their path to glory. However, their approach has not been universally praised.
“Imagine if other huge successful rosters had this mentality. We’d never have a lineup like Astralis, current Vitality, early 2020s Na’Vi, etc. So many more examples. This is why I hope they (Falcons) never win anything even if I’m a fan of some of the players. So much about CS is so genuine and due to the love of the scene. Can’t just buy that,” one fan wrote in a widely shared Reddit thread following the signing.
Others voiced concern about the intense expectations now placed on kyousuke, who is making his debut in the tier 1 scene amid immense scrutiny. Social media has already begun circulating memes comparing his expected output to that of CS2 superstar donk, sparking debate over whether the teen will be given time to grow or face early dismissal.
Still, not all the reception has been critical. Many in the community are intrigued to see how this newly formed "superteam" will fare when the CS2 2025 competitive season resumes later this summer.
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