CS2 Niko blames G2 Esports roster changes for jump to Falcons

CJ Published February 3, 2025

Nikola “NiKo” Kovač recently revealed why he left G2 Esports for the Falcons in a tell-all ESLCS interview.

NiKo is one of the most sought-after stars in the CS2 space right now.  Considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest, rifler of all time, NiKo’s Counter-Strike career has made him a legend. The pro player has netted multiple S-tier championships in almost every year he competed professionally.

Despite these accolades, NiKo still itches for more opportunities. In January 2025, he officially announced his exit from G2 and joined Team Falcons.  The move proved controversial, as for all of NiKo’s talents, some fans believe he’s too good for the team. Others support the move solely because it’s a great way to “get that bag” for NiKo.

As for why NiKo left G2 for Team Falcons, he explained why in an ESLCS interview.

NiKo was frustrated by the G2 roster changes throughout his five-year run

“The biggest reason why I decided to leave is due to this, that I haven’t been eye-to-eye…..I didn’t really agree with some of the changes they (G2) have done to my team,” said NiKo in an interview with ESLCS during the Intel Extreme Masters 2025 in Katowice. Although NiKo still received several accolades during his G2 run,  the esports organization was controversial among fans for its roster swaps.

Notable players such as Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen, Justin “jks” Savage, and Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen were picked up, and then released, much to the confusion of fans.  Aleksib didn’t even last a year, having joined G2 in January 2022 before being picked up by Ninjas in Pyjamas in September 2025.

Aleksib was benched in August 2022, around the same time G2 acquired jks and HooXi.  Consequently, many fans felt the stint of jks and HooXi never reached the peak it could have. Both players exited the organization in 2024, much to the disappointment of G2 fans.

NiKo did not elaborate on which changes he felt negatively affected his G2 lineup during the interview. He went on to explain why he felt Team Falcons was the right call for his career. “With Falcons, I really believe they are here to build a team around me,” said Niko candidly about his decision to move to Team Falcons.

Team Falcons remains a controversial team to join in 2025

Despite its relative youth, team Falcons also has its fair share of controversy in the CS2 space. The rebrand to Team Falcons in late 2022 showcased a desire for championship gold. The organization’s history did not match that desire, as it has failed to acquire any S-tier tournament wins in CS2.

In 2024, the company made aggressive moves to pump up its roster. The loan of Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev as a player cemented this in the community’s eyes. The legendary player did not stay on permanently despite the hype. NiKo, in contrast, is officially signed with Team Falcons and stated his dedication to building a world-class team.

Although it remains to be seen how much sway NiKO ends up having on the Team Falcons roster, fans will undeniably tune in to see if he succeeds.