Seized after first LAN trophy since 2016: “Age is just numbers. The stereotype that older guys cannot do anything is already taken down”Exclusive

Following their impressive victory at PARI, Please, 9Pandas captain Denis “seized” Kostin sat down with our editor Evgenii Efimov to reflect on his career resurgence. This landmark achievement marked his initial LAN championship since ESL One New York 2016 during his tenure with NAVI. The seasoned professional opened up about his perspectives on CS2’s evolution, his strategic decisions to decline prestigious international roster spots, and the distinctive qualities separating veteran competitors from emerging talent.

— Your absence from major LAN finals dates back to 2017. Did retirement considerations ever enter your mindset during this extended period?

— Retirement never crossed my mind as a serious option. I maintain genuine passion for Counter-Strike and derive satisfaction from the daily competitive process. Confidence persists that I’ll discover the right organizational fit where collective advancement toward elite status becomes achievable. The fundamental love for CS mechanics and competition continues driving my professional journey forward.

— Historically, you received invitations from established international organizations including Envy, FaZe, and Cloud9 yet consistently remained within Eastern European competitive circuits. What factors influenced these career decisions?

— Each opportunity presented unique circumstances requiring individual evaluation. Occasionally, personal preference for Russian-speaking team environments dictated my choices, while external life factors—particularly relationship considerations with my former partner—also significantly impacted roster decisions during critical negotiation periods.

— Currently positioned at 20th in HLTV’s global rankings, what represents your squad’s maximum potential ceiling?

— Our potential remains completely unlimited! While glowiing and I bring veteran presence, the roster predominantly features developing talent. Chronological age demonstrates negligible correlation with competitive performance outcomes, as evidenced by our recent tournament results. Consistent dedicated practice combined with strategic development inevitably produces successful competitive outcomes regardless of player demographics.

— 9Pandas maintains the region’s most experienced average roster age. Do you perceive the upcoming season featuring the Copenhagen Major as representing your optimal career opportunity?

— Definitely not. Consider established professionals like karrigan at 34 and rain at 30 (actually 33 and 29 respectively) who consistently compete and triumph at premier tournaments. Numerical age represents merely statistical data without deterministic competitive influence. The outdated presumption that veteran competitors cannot maintain elite performance levels has been thoroughly disproven by contemporary competitive results.

— Your collaborative history with clax spans multiple years, while Glowiing and Xoma also qualify as longstanding teammates. What explains your group’s remarkable continuity since the Cyber Legacy era? What distinctive qualities characterize your four-player core?

— Our sustained collaboration stems fundamentally from synergistic compatibility. Essentially, we initiated our professional journey collectively within Cyber Legacy’s infrastructure. This represented my inaugural experience mentoring developing talent, while Xoma occupied our coaching position. The situation constituted novel professional development for all participants. Subsequent roster separation occurred due to various circumstances, but strategic reunification has now been achieved. We selectively recruited necessary roster components, and currently focus on systematic competitive development.

— Within Counter-Strike’s competitive landscape, you qualify as a veteran. Does your generation’s competitive methodology differ substantially from emerging professional players?

— The primary distinction involves reduced real-world responsibilities among younger competitors. They simply engage with the game driven by pure enjoyment, reminiscent of childhood gaming experiences pursued for entertainment value. Veteran professionals often lack that initial spontaneous enthusiasm, but compensate through accumulated strategic experience and comprehensive understanding of competitive parity maintenance with developing talent.

— Does CS2’s current iteration provide sufficient stability for professional competition? Is the platform adequately prepared for Regional Major Rankings and the upcoming Major championship?

— Tournament competition continues functioning at professional levels, though imperfectly. CS2 still contains numerous technical issues requiring resolution. Performance optimization, particularly framerate consistency, demands significant improvement. Substantial developmental work remains, but Valve demonstrates committed progress with weekly update deployments. Provided development teams maintain current momentum, we anticipate reasonably stable competitive conditions materializing before the Major tournament.

— What competitive expectations do you maintain for the current season?

— Our schedule includes two or three crucial tournaments requiring peak performance to accumulate essential ranking points. Fundamentally, our baseline objective involved achieving top-30 global positioning—already successfully accomplished. The paramount goal focuses on Copenhagen Major qualification. Consequently, we maintain aggressive competitive scheduling to secure necessary points for closed qualifier and Major participation.

seized’s competitive career originated in 2011, initially competing within CS 1.6’s ecosystem. Transitioning to the updated platform, he achieved prominence with NAVI, capturing prestigious championships and reaching Major grand finals on two occasions. Following Zeus’s departure from the active roster, seized assumed In-Game Leadership responsibilities, experiencing substantial performance degradation that precipitated his 2017 removal.

Multiple roster transitions preceded his July 2022 signing with 9Pandas. He constructed a renewed competitive lineup, with the comprehensive team-building process documented through reality television, illustrating emerging organization development. During PARI, Please, the squad defeated established competitors including FURIA and Eternal Fire.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides » Seized after first LAN trophy since 2016: “Age is just numbers. The stereotype that older guys cannot do anything is already taken down”Exclusive Veteran CS:GO pro seized shares insights on age stereotypes, team synergy, and CS2 competitive readiness