HLTV Confirmed - Counter-Strike Podcast

In a special episode brought to you from Red Bull GIBAWAY in Stockholm, we catch up with the Swedish veterans olofmeister, friberg, THREAT to talk about the state of the scene as well as natu to touch on the businessy side of esports. ➡️ Follow us for updates:   / hltvconfirmed   📺 Watch live:   / hltvorg   🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv HLTV Confirmed is presented by 1xbet & Skin Place: 📗 1xbet: https://cropped.link/hltvtwb 🔪 Skin Place: https://p.skin.place/hltv5 👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop 0:00 - IntroTHREAT of NIP 3:25 - We’re live from Adult GIBAWAY 4:35 - Introducing THREAT - the BEAR 5:45 - MisteM the newcomer; REZ the veteran 10:10 - NIP’s view on the ranking 16:43 - xKaspercky joining ENCE 21:21 - Economy takes 26:35 - Invites vs. open quals 31:43 - Is NIP a Swedish team? 38:33 - What is THREAT’s routine? 41:50 - Incideary vs. molotov 43:15 - Are national teams done? friberg & olofmeister 49:50 - olof and friberg join! 52:55 - Missing competing 57:20 - Where is CS now?1:05:00 - Top 3 race 1:06:51 - Could Swedish scene be better? 1:10:25 - Has culture changed in pro CS? 1:17:40 - “Map pool never been worse” - olof 1:23:27 - Hall of fame? Nicest person in Sweden? 1:28:35 - “I miss national teams” - friberg 1:32:10 - “Fuck stats!” - friberg 1:34:25 - friberg tells FIfflaren story 1:37:47 - olof & friberg build Swedish lineup 1:41:40 - RobbaN & personalities in CS1:49:42 - Hair transplant insights1:51:15 - olof & friberg take Skinionaire  natu of ENCE2:00:42 - Winning Elisa Masters 2:06:05 - Learning in CS:GO & CS2 2:07:43 - Valve vs. other devs 2:13:09 - Keeping in touch with CS2:22:00 - 2025 plans and expectations 2:26:11 - Thorin & RL coming to Elisa 2:31:21 - Some final words HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike.   / threat_cs     / fribergcs     / olofmeister     / natu     / spunj     / strikerhltvorg     / professeur_cs     / lukaswiinholt   #HLTVConfirmed #podcast #cs2

Going in-depth on s1mple's return with Falcons: the first games, how sensible is the change, s1mple's stats, what is up next for the team, and could s1mple and NiKo co-exist on a single team. Other topics are CS2 update, BLAST World Final, and SAW not falling off despite the change. ➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed 📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg 🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv HLTV Confirmed is presented by 1xbet & Skin Place: 📗 1xbet: https://cropped.link/hltvtwb 🔪 Skin Place: https://p.skin.place/hltv5 👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop 0:00 - Show intro s1mple & Falcons 7:53 - s1mple back: first impressions 15:01 - s1mple’s first 7 maps performance 23:15 - Falcons: NiKo + s1mple? 29:52 - Falcons to keep 3? Who? Recent news 40:05 - Jump bug fix (again?) 44:21 - Golden new SAW coach 49:35 - SAW win Katowice 51:22 - BLEED split up & jkaem to BCGame 55:11 - kyousuke aka CEMEN_BAKIN 1:00:30 - SPUNJ shows the room BLAST World Final 1:03:00 - Skinionaire: BLAST WFs 1:10:34 - BLAST World Final 1:13:46 - B1ad3 on team leadership 1:22:10 - huNter- on the “elephant in the room” 1:27:06 - donk interview 1:28:43 - NiKo didn’t end up being an IGL 1:30:06 - Another NAVI final? WATO 1:38:52 - DRILLAS non-Asian core 1:40:17 - World Final storylines 1:42:57 - cadiaN has an injury? 1:44:33 - Chad’s Singapore childhood story HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike. https://twitter.com/SPUNJ https://twitter.com/StrikerHLTVorg https://twitter.com/Professeur_CS https://twitter.com/LukasWiinholt #HLTVConfirmed #podcast #cs2

Gamechanger episode (ft. Complexity's GM messioso) about all the ways the new Valve rules will impact the 2025 circuit: Valve ranking, invites, qualifiers, rev share schemes, prize pools, limits on roster changes, event fines, breaks, and the BLAST & ESL against the rest split, and more! ➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed 📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg 🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv HLTV Confirmed is presented by 1xbet & Skin Place: 📗 1xbet: https://cropped.link/hltvtwb 🔪 Skin Place: https://p.skin.place/hltv5 👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop 0:00 - Show intro 3:43 - What is this show about? 7:45 - Skinionaire (tech issues) 16:15 - Valve ranking (VRS) explained 30:15 - Invites based on VRS 34:45 - How prize pools affect ranking 41:05 - ESL & BLAST rev share in 2025 58:47 - Why no open quals in 2025?! 1:09:02 - Reviewing the calendar 1:19:20 - The problem with Valve qualifiers rules 1:23:46 - SPUNJ addresses Valve 1:26:50 - Event fines: should they be public? 1:35:32 - BLAST token incentives 1:43:39 - Wildcard invite rules 1:47:10 - PGL vs. BLAST & ESL 1:53:02 - Rev share role 2:05:50 - Core changes & COUPS 2:13:35 - How many quals in 2025? 2:18:12 - Is the circuit more closed now? 2:27:18 - “I wouldn’t play local quals” - messioso 2:33:15 - PGL event to have six top 10 teams? 2:45:52 - Tournament breaks future? 2:51:19 - What is yet to be announced? 3:03:15 - Most prize pool ever? 3:05:25 - Binding invites HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike. https://twitter.com/messioso https://twitter.com/SPUNJ https://twitter.com/StrikerHLTVorg https://twitter.com/Professeur_CS https://twitter.com/LukasWiinholt #HLTVConfirmed #podcast #cs2

NER0 joins HLTV Confirmed to discuss the addition of Rating 2.1 and what it means, IEM Rio results including another NAVI win and disastrous G2 run, BLEED being UNPAID, 32-team Major, RMRs being no more, and the new partner system shaping up. ➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed 📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg 🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv HLTV Confirmed is presented by 1xbet & Skin Place: 📗 1xbet: https://cropped.link/hltvtwb 🔪 Skin Place: https://p.skin.place/hltv5 👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop 0:00 - Show intro 5:35 - RedBull Gibaway on Nov 1-3! IEM Rio 8:26 - Are we NAVI haters?! 11:41 - G2: reality is kicking in 14:35 - NAVI win despite the fatigue 25:51 - Contracts expire before the Major 28:02 - MOUZ - improved or not? 33:54 - G2 debacle & voice comms 39:55 - “G2 has no future & no present” - Prof 42:55 - “G2 is the least coachable team” - SPUNJ 47:05 - FURIA & Heroic - what did we learn? 51:34 - iM MVP explained! 56:23 - No Rio next year: Brazil events problem? 1:04:48 - Major return to Rio? 1:01:25 - SPUNJ’s alt?! Forums 1:12:21 - NER0 takes in Skinionaire (Brazil events) Recent news 1:19:38 - Rating 2.1 explained: why & how? 1:30:50 - Why no economy in HLTV Rating? 1:50:10 - BLEED s(h)ituation & UNPAID 1:55:26 - SAW lose arrozdoce, Berry 1:59:52 - 32-team Major explained 2:07:40 - Why is it bad? Scales issue 2:15:30 - RMRs being removed: why it’s bad 2:23:43 - Post-partner system: not gonna work? 2:41:50 - Jame 1.05+ rating at the RMR? - WATO 2:49:58 - Elisa Masters Espoo preview HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike. https://twitter.com/NER0cs https://twitter.com/SPUNJ https://twitter.com/StrikerHLTVorg https://twitter.com/Professeur_CS https://twitter.com/LukasWiinholt #HLTVConfirmed #podcast #cs2