Esports Feature: As the year winds down, it’s time to look at who stood out in 2017 in the world of eSports and who to watch in the future.
- coldzera
When it comes to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, SK Gaming’s coldzera is widely considered the best player in the world, stemming from both his consistency and versatility. In terms of his consistency, no matter the map and the opponent, coldzera performs at an unbelievably high level, the likes we have never seen. Real name Marcelo David, coldzera almost never has a down map, let alone a down tournament – something no other player in the world can say. It’s not only consistency that he brings to the table; there is also a high level of variance in terms of his gameplay as well, as Cold is a “Swiss army knife” in regards to playstyle and weapon usage. Considered a hybrid player for his ability to both use rifles as well as AWP, Cold is a dynamic player with the ability to continually keep his opponents on edge. Coupled with his ability to play both aggressive or supportive/passive, depending on the roster and map, Cold is an all-around player that appears to never have a dull moment. Cold has been considered the best player for quite some time, and even with stiff competition just behind him, it appears as though that will remain the case for quite some time.
- S1mple
S1mple might be the single greatest talent to ever play CS:GO, given his incredible performances as of late on an otherwise extremely disappointing Na`Vi team. S1mple has been the lone bright spot for Na`Vi for a majority of the year, putting up absolutely insane numbers for a team in a tailspin. S1mple has transitioned from a hybrid player to a dedicated AWPer, picking up the weapon on a consistent basis for the team and dominating when doing so. If s1mple can continue his hot streak, a real conversation begins to occur on whether or not he or Cold is the best player in CS:GO.
- NiKo
FaZe have been a top two team in the world for months now ever since establishing an all-star lineup, but in turn, NiKo’s greatness seems to have diminished, with S1mple dethroning him from the number two spot on our list. Rain and GuardiaN have stepped up to the forefront in recent months, ultimately leading to not enough kills to go around. NiKo is still incredible by all accounts, with an ability to be both a hybrid as well as a brilliant pistol player, and remains arguably the best Desert Eagle user ever. NiKo’s talent is undeniable, with a coldzera-esque ability to pick just the right play at the right time. NiKo is the core of FaZe’s success, but the distribution of wealth within the team limits his ability to shine through at times.
- Fer
Fer is the second star of SK Gaming, complementing Coldzera’s versatility with overwhelming aggression. Considered by many to be “the most annoying” player to play against, enemy players will know aggression is coming from fer at some point in the match, but with no idea as to how or when it will occur. Fer’s game knowledge and ability is off the charts, continually feeding his team information and gaining advantages off of his never-ending pushes while on the defense; something very few players do properly. Fer is a game changer, but at times he can cost his team with his overzealous nature, leading to others such as s1mple being placed above him.
- Rain
Rain is a newer addition to this list, with his performances complementing NiKo during FaZe’s impressive streak. Rain was originally known as a secondary star with a keen ability to perform on Train, arguably the best player in the world on that map even when on struggling teams. This iteration of FaZe has been a coming out party for rain as he has asserted himself on a myriad of maps,with Overpass B-defense also standing out. Rain might not have the highlight plays on the offensive T side, but he anchors a bombsite like few have ever done. Rain is the most surprising story of FaZe, as many thought he would have to take a more supportive role given the other stars on the team. While performing at an incredibly high level, rain will have to continue his star play for quite some time if he is even to surpass fer for fourth place.
Given the top five, it is hardly surprising that SK Gaming and Faze Clan have largely dominated 2017. Coldzera, s1mple, NiKo, fer and rain will remain the ones to watch in 2018 as well.
