Despite never winning a Major, never standing at the very top of the rankings as the undisputed best, NiKo’s name carries weight. And why shouldn’t it? Counter-Strike has always had its giants, the coldzera era, the s1mple reign, ZywOo‘s rise, and now donk’s crushing rule. Through it all, NiKo has remained a formidable force, always on the opposing side of history, yet never its crowned king. Is that an accomplishment, or a curse?
How does it feel to lose? Some say there’s no failure, only lessons learned. A comforting thought, perhaps, but one that often feels like a crutch to keep yourself moving forward. Because life isn’t that forgiving, and neither is history. It only remembers the winners. And so, as time drifts away into an uncertain future, one question lingers, will the legend of NiKo still be remembered? Or will he be just another name lost to the tides of time?
Early beginnings in Mousesports
Everyone sees themselves as the protagonist in the story of their life. NiKo is no exception. And his story truly began when the first rays of success pierced through in 2014. Mousesports saw something in him, a Balkan prodigy with a fire in his veins and got him on board. But unlike donk or m0NESY, his rise wasn’t instantaneous, but marked by betrayal and heartbreak.
Just before the ESL One Cologne 2015 Major, his own organization cast him aside, favoring a Major spot by signing the Penta Esports trio. NiKo was left in the cold. But rather than sulk, he did what he does best, he continued his mad-fragging during stints for Kinguin and SK. Mousesports, who got eliminated in last place from the Major, couldn’t ignore him anymore. And realizing their mistake, they called him back.
But the path wasn’t easy for NiKo still. A player of his caliber feeds on trophies, and they were just not coming his way despite his best efforts. His teammates did little to help move the scoreboard, and NiKo had to carry them like dead weight.
As if that wasn’t enough, Gob B was sidelined, leaving NiKo to take on in-game leadership, an added burden on the young shoulders of a player who just wanted to win. And the fire within him shined brighter than the fire around him, and NiKo didn’t stop. He poured his soul into every match, fighting tooth and nail.
But it just wasn’t enough. NiKo was just not getting any help from the rest of the team and many questioned if he was wasting his talent. In the 11 big events NiKo played for Mousesports, while NiKo had averaged 1.20 in his ratings, the average of others maintained a low count of 0.94. Then, in 2017, came the call that changed everything: FaZe Clan.
A golden opportunity in FaZe
At FaZe, the world saw NiKo in his full glory. He was no longer dragging a lifeless squad across the finish line. Instead, he had superstars of his own league by his side. The results were instantaneous. For the first time, NiKo wasn’t just fighting, he was winning. And even amongst the best, NiKo soared higher.
Trophies followed – ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017, ESL One New York 2017, ECS Season 4 Finals. FaZe were a fiery opponents to face. Then came the ELEAGUE Major 2018. It was the perfect script, a story of resilience, of sweat and sacrifice. And up until the Grand-Final, FaZe didn’t drop a single map.
But then came the cruel twist. The Major final against Cloud9, a game seemingly scripted by the gods to prove that fate can be merciless. FaZe lost after being a map up and sitting on a 15-11 lead. The loss marked the beginning of a domino effect that would reshape NiKo’s career forever.
Doubts crept in about karrigan’s leadership, and after another devastating loss to fnatic in the final of IEM Katowice 2018, he had to give up his leadership role to NiKo. FaZe, once a juggernaut, became a ship lost at sea. Players came and went, but the spark never returned.
FaZe needed a huge change, which came at the end of 2019 when they brought coldzera under the same roof as NiKo in a blockbuster move. But there was one problem, a ghost NiKo could never outrun. The team had to again perish with no in-game leader. No one wanted to take on the burden, and once again the responsibility fell on the shoulders of NiKo.
But times had changed. So had the meta. For NiKo, the concerns grew as he could not adapt to the SG-Aug meta. And with the games shifting to an online-era due to the pandemic, poured salt on the LAN animal NiKo. All the while, the team searched the market for IGLs as they lamented with disappointing results. While some deals with Aleksib and alex reached advanced discussions, nothing materialized.
From fan favorite to public enemy
For someone already carrying the weight of so many struggles while still giving it his all, what truly shattered him wasn’t the losses but the shifting perception of his legacy. Suddenly, he wasn’t just NiKo, the superstar, he was NiKo, the villain. The one who kicks teammates. The one who demands control. The one who ruins careers. It was a cruel twist of fate. NiKo was forced into a role he never wanted, an albatross around his neck. He hadn’t complained, hadn’t made excuses, had done everything in his power to win, yet the world had painted him as the antagonist.
Enough was enough. NiKo left it all behind and moved to G2. NiKo was back on a team with a good structure. The world was filled with possibilities again, or so it seemed. The team failed to get on the right foot, as their idea of trialing JACKZ and AMANEK killed their momentum. Till the time they made a decision, kennyS’ form started to wane and he was later benched.
Even in G2, the curse followed NiKo. He gave his all at the first Major in his new jersey, the PGL Stockholm Major 2021. He stormed into the grand final with a 1.43 rating on his back. But the ghosts of his past still whispered in his ear, and a few whiffed bullets from NiKo became the difference between G2 and the first map win. G2 lost the final, making it NiKo’s second Major grand final loss, but this one was no less painful than the first.
Roster changes didn’t stop, G2 tried different leaders, different coaches, different support players, but nothing saved them from the sorrows of the lost Major. Aleksib failed, HooXi couldn’t get them far, XQTZZZ’s system didn’t work, and NiKo had to say goodbye to his dream to his dream of winning a CS:GO Major with a 3rd-4th finish at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2024. With every loss, every setback, every decision, NiKo was somehow always painted as the scapegoat.
The dilemma of NiKo
NiKo got a chance at jumping ships once more when he got on Falcon’s radar who were trying to build a super team. But NiKo turned them down. The G2 roster changed with Snax and malbsMd joining and they were good for the occasional big event wins. While NiKo wasn’t in his best shape yet in CS2, the team was somehow carrying the weight.
But it still wasn’t enough to claim a Major, as G2 exited both the PGL Copenhagen Major 2024 and Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 with semi-final losses. Then, NiKo was given a second chance with Falcons, and this time, he took it.
The community called him a traitor, accusing him of chasing the bag instead of the trophy. This, from the same NiKo who had rejected Mousesports’ first offer to stick with a Serbian team, the same NiKo who never gave up on Mousesports despite all the chaos. The same NiKo who endured the grind at FaZe, pushing through hell to make it work. The same NiKo who had previously turned down the very same Falcons.
NiKo’s dilemma isn’t just the heartbreaking losses or the never-ending pursuit of the elusive Major. It’s that seemingly no matter how hard he pushes, no matter how much he sacrifices, the world chooses to ignore his effort and instead casts him as the villain in a story he never intended to be part of. Yet, NiKo wakes up every day, ready for every new tournament, every new challenge, with a fresh mindset and a singular goal, to win. This drive is what has earned him a place in the best CS2 players list for 10 years running, no matter what those who refuse to give him his due think.
