The 27-year-old Russian esports player Egor "flamie" Vasilyev shared his thoughts about his former teammates, Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev and Denis "electroNic" Sharipov. Vasilyev discussed s1mple's behaviour within the team, particularly addressing his notorious in-game toxicity. He expressed these reflections during the RightClick podcast on YouTube.
He explained that s1mple’s toxicity wasn’t present after every round. Rather, it seemed to surface when the team made mistakes, did things they shouldn’t have, or when s1mple was in a bad mood. However, Vasilyev clarified that it wasn’t a daily occurrence. Over time, teammates adjusted to it, learning to ignore or dismiss certain remarks, as if it had become the norm. He noted that, personally, he wasn’t significantly troubled by s1mple’s behaviour, as he understood that s1mple recognised his own issues with in-game emotions. Outside of matches, Vasilyev described s1mple as a completely different, more friendly and kind-hearted individual. He added that in-game outbursts were typically reserved for mistakes, and rarely did unjustified toxicity occur.
Vasilyev also described electroNic as a person with strong principles and a resilient character. He admired electroNic’s approach as a player, stating that he always appreciated his teammate’s firmness and adherence to his views. Vasilyev mentioned that electroNic valued integrity: if he said something, he made sure to follow through, which is a rare quality nowadays. Vasilyev respected this consistency and noted that, although electroNic could be harsh in-game, he was more relaxed in real life, emphasising the need to find the right approach to communicate with each person individually.
Recently, Vasilyev launched his own esports organisation called Flame Sharks. The club has already begun recruiting players for its Counter-Strike 2 roster. Aspiring members are invited to complete a short application form, providing details such as their age, ELO rating, and availability to attend a bootcamp in Moscow, among other information.