Donk vs S1mple Showmatch Canceled?

Overdrive sent CS2 fans into a frenzy with the Donk vs S1mple showmatch announcement, but the much-awaited event might no longer be happening

The highly anticipated donk vs s1mple CS2 showmatch has reportedly been cancelled after NAVI denied permission for their inactive player, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, to participate. Esports journalist Aleksey “OverDrive” Biryukov, who initially teased the matchup, broke the news on Telegram. His post read:

“Unfortunately, the s1mple vs. donk showmatch is canceled. NAVI didn’t allow Sasha to go.”

The reason for the cancellation remains unclear. Soon after OverDrive’s announcement, s1mple confirmed the news on social media, simply stating, “That’s the reality.”

Donk vs S1mple Showmatch: All We Knew Before the Cancelation

Credit: Getty Images

The scheduled date for the donk vs s1mple showmatch was April 11th. Streamers Evelone (Ukraine) and Buster (Russia) were also slated to participate, making the event a bona fide star-studded affair.

Esports fans were buzzing with anticipation after prominent insider Aleksey “OverDrive” Biryukov dropped a tantalizing rumora few days back. OverDrive hinted at a potential CS2 showmatch featuring a clash between legendary player Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and rising star Danil “donk” Kryshkovets. This matchup, pitting veteran experience against youthful talent, promised to be an epic spectacle for Counter-Strike lovers. Overdrive also revealed that he will be teaming up with donk in the match.

donk is the name on everyone’s lips within the CS2 scene. Bursting onto the pro circuit in late 2023, he’s defied expectations by dominating the HLTV rankings with his consistently impressive skills. This rising star led Team Spirit to a commanding victory at IEM Katowice 2024, with only FaZe Clan managing to halt their charge at the prestigious PGL Major Copenhagen. donk’s meteoric rise suggests a future legend in the making as he continues to rewrite expectations.

donk has a free schedule till May as Team Spirit have no commitments before the BetBoom Dacha 2024. s1mple’s situation was uncertain. The 26-year-old has been on hiatus since October, and it remains unclear when he will return to competitive action. There were reports that he was looking for a new team, but the latest developments suggest NAVI still see the AWPers’ long term future at the organization.

Earlier, s1mple jokingly declared himself a two-time Major champion after being named NAVI’s official substitute for the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024. He likened himself to legendary soccer player Sergio Aguero, who famously celebrated Argentina’s World Cup victory despite not playing in the final.