G2 made the loudest splash in the current off-season. Having been in the top 5 of the world rankings for most of the season, the "samurais" decided to sign two new players. While Snax, with his vast experience at tier-1, needs no introduction, Guatemalan malbsMd is lesser known.
Who is malbsMd and how did a relatively inexperienced player earn a spot in one of the world's strongest squads? CSGO.com explores this in the "Retrospective" section.
First Encounter with Counter-Strike
MalbsMd started playing CS at the age of 7, introduced by his father, who relaxed after work by shooting bots. Due to the high crime rates in Guatemala, his parents kept Mario indoors, approving his gaming hobby.
MalbsMd dedicated more time to CS1.6 in high school after a career-ending injury shattered his dream of becoming a professional footballer. His parents bought him a personal computer, with the condition that he excelled in school to earn unlimited gaming time.
Even at a young age, malbsMd outclassed local leaders, often accused of cheating due to his dominance despite his young voice. Older players couldn't believe that "the kid, whose voice hadn't even broken," could consistently outperform everyone on the server.
In his personal life, malbsMd faced difficulties due to societal prejudices in Guatemala, where gamers were stereotyped as lonely failures hiding away at home. However, with the rise of CS:GO and the growing prestige of esports, he shed societal pressures and realised his potential as a professional.
MalbsMd Becomes an Esports Athlete
MalbsMd's first step into the pro scene was representing Guatemala in the North American qualifiers for the 2016 Word Championship at just 13 years old, despite his computer only delivering 40 FPS in CS:GO. He gained widespread recognition as the country's best player.
"I remember rehearsing choreography for a school play, and my friend messaged me that HLTV had published one of my highlights. At first, I thought he was joking; I didn't even know they published from open qualifiers. But then he sent me the link. I couldn't believe it; I was so happy! My phone started buzzing with notifications, many tagging and congratulating me. After that, I disappeared, but I couldn't shake the thought: 'I want to become a professional, and I can do it.'"
For the next three years, he stayed out of the spotlight but continued playing ESEA for 8 hours a day. His stint on Latin American teams like Jaguar, Geostorm, FULL SEND, and Infinity was unsuccessful, earning him a reputation as a conflicted player unable to manage his emotions. Fights with teammates, clashes with management, and altercations with opponents at tournaments were his only "achievements" in the early days of his career.
In 2020, at the age of 17, malbsMd received an offer to join TeamOne from captain Maluk3 himself. After a brief trial period, he signed with the team, which became his springboard to the highest levels of the pro scene.
With him, TeamOne became one of North America's best teams, participating in prestigious tournaments like ESL Pro League Season 13, IEM Cologne 2021, and ESL Pro League Season 14. After proving himself at the top level, he was bought by 00NATION, where he spent only 5 months before returning to TeamOne.
MalbsMd's Stardom
After spending almost a year with TeamOne, which after merging with another club became LOS + oNe, malbsMd's rise wasn't easy, and the team faced successive failures even at the regional level.
In July 2023, malbsMd moved to M80, a North American club making its debut in Counter-Strike esports and aiming for tier-1. Despite scepticism towards the project, this goal was achieved within six months, with the Guatemalan and his aggressive playing style being key to the team's success.
Last season, M80 attended IEM Cologne 2024, ESL Pro League Season 19, IEM Dallas 2024, and qualified for major LAN tournaments in the second half of the year like the Esports World Cup 2024, ESL Pro League Season 20, and Thunderpick World Championship 2024. Much of this success was thanks to malbsMd, who boasted an average rating of 1.32 in 2024!
Interestingly, at the peak of his form, the Guatemalan achieved a historic milestone, becoming the record holder for most aces in a single top-tier tournament. He achieved 4 aces at EPL S19, matching s1mple's record set at IEM Cologne in 2021.
MalbsMd's impressive results didn't go unnoticed by top teams. G2, which once didn't miss with the acquisition of inexperienced m0NESY for a whopping $600 thousand, decided to buy malbsMd from M80 for half a million dollars.
Experts view malbsMd's move from M80 to G2 with some scepticism, largely due to role conflicts within the "samurai" squad. However, if this issue is resolved, the arrival of the Guatemalan could be a serious boost for the team in the upcoming competitive season.