Top CS2 Boomers who continue to deliver in 2024
Boomers. The old guys. Veterans, if you want to be nice. Aged competitors. Who are they? Who were they before they became legends?
Counter-Strike 2 is a game where young players are known to rise and shine. With prime examples like Danil “donk" Kryshkovets donking on everyone, or Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye who’s the youngest player to ever win a Major at only 18 years and 277 days.
Younger players tend to be more active, have stronger ambitions and are ready to sweat more. But, that doesn’t mean older players lack any of those aspects. In fact, some are just as hungry to achieve more despite spending decades grinding the game.
For that, we decided to shed some light on some of the “30 plus year old talents” we’re privileged to have and witness, set a new standard within the industry.
Finn "karrigan" Andersen
Image source: PGLOne of the greatest in-game leaders, rivaling Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander, is a model for leadership, dedication and exceeding expectations.
His résumé boasts impressive teams in his past such as MOUZ, Reason, Copenhagen Wolves in addition to Dignitas, TSM, Astralis and more. Finn’s CS:GO career started as early as late 2012 after migrating from Counter-Strike 1.6. It was in CS:GO where he had some of his brightest moments and where he truly began to blossom into the talent we see today.
Karrigan: His First Steps Towards Success
Since departing from 1.6, “karrigan” dedicated his early CS:GO years to honing his skills, before he finally landed on TSM in 2015. There, he won his first trophies in Global Offensive. The 34-year-old lifted five total trophies with the golden Danish lineup including FACEIT League 2015 Stage 1, Fragbite Masters Season 4 finals and PGL Season 1 finals.
A year later, that same squad formed the original Astralis. While their initial roster failed to deliver titles, they always managed to remain as strong contenders, often sitting within the top 5 teams in the world across a long period.
By this point, "karrigan" was also beginning to receive recognition as a worthy IGL. While the Astralis might not have delivered titles under "karrigan's" stewardship, it formed a solid foundation for himself as a player, just in time to start his first stint with FaZe Clan.
Reaching the Top with FaZe Clan
Despite winning big trophies with the red and black jersey, it never seemed enough for "karrigan". Especially after a particular loss to Cloud9 back in 2018 that continued to haunt him and the squad months after, ultimately leading in karrigan stepping down as the IGL and eventually the roster.
He would eventually return to FaZe, many years later. But before that, a Major trophy felt almost like reaching for the stars at that point for the aging IGL. In the end, it was his tenure on MOUZ that seemed to revitalize him.
He collected a few trophies such as the ESL Pro League Season 10 Finals and CS Asia Championship 2019. Then in 2021, karrigan returned to FaZe Clan, and history becomes present.
karrigan’s notable achievements:
- PGL Major Antwerp 2022*
- 3x ESL Pro Leagues
- Intel Grand Slam
- 4x Intel Extreme Masters
- 2x ESL One
- MVP at FACEIT League 2015 Stage 1 finals
Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer
Image source: ESLDespite competing since 2013, Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer has only ever managed to clinch one big title under his belt- IEM Dallas 2023.
Before landing in Falcons, Marco followed the Danish route like many of his countrymen, having played for the likes of Copenhagen Wolves and Heroic. Although he always fell short of major trophies and recognition, the in-game leader had his bright moments in A-tier events between 2018 and 2019.
Unfortunately, the 33-year-old couldn’t find success at the most prestigious events, with early exits at every major he played in. By the end of 2020, "Snappi" found himself benched while with c0ntact Gaming at the time.
On the brink of giving up, his fortunes finally took a turn for the better in the form of a certain Finnish organization.
"After c0ntact I would have probably given up, but luckily I got three offers, one of them was from ENCE.” - Snappi to esportfire.com
With a relatively young roster, “Snappi” took them to the highest heights with a win at IEM Dallas and a 2nd place finish at IEM Cologne.
"This is the first time [Ence] take home a big trophy and for me… it's amazing" - Snappi to BLIX.GG
Snappi’s notable achievements:
- DreamHack Open Summer 2018 - runner up
- cs_summit 3 - runner up
- ESL Pro League Season 15 - runner up
- IEM Dallas 2022 - runner up
- IEM Dallas 2023
- IEM Cologne 2023 - runner up
- Gamers8 2023 - runner up
Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen
Image source: BLASTOne of the most decorated CS2 players with five Majors and 27 other notable trophies refuses to hang up his mouse. Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen stands tall as a true icon in the Counter-Strike world, rightfully hailed as one of Counter-Strike's greatest players of all time.
Yet despite such a legacy, his beginning was not anywhere near as iconic or glamorous. "Dupreeh" began his Counter-Strike career by playing under notable organization banners such as Copenhagen Wolves and Dignitas.
However, it was not until TSM, and upon matching with "karrigan" where "Dupreeh" truly struck gold. With TSM, he won his first string of tournaments and within 12 months, the Danish player had won a total of 5 trophies - including PGL Season 1 Finals.
Peter's reputation soared during the Astralis era as he led his team to numerous victories, including four Major trophies, an Intel Grand Slam, and multiple top-tier tournament wins. Despite his advancing age, Peter continued to perform at a high level, proving that he had not lost his competitive edge.
In a scene where most players ease off, “dupreeh" pushed beyond, clinching his fifth Major title with Vitality. Yet for him, it's still not enough, as he's currently diving into a new challenge with Team Falcons.
The 31-year-old is currently the highest earning player from prize pools with a whopping $2,181,164.40 according to esportsearnings.com.
dupreeh’s notable achievements:
- 5x Major wins (ELEAGUE Major 2017, FACEIT Major 2018, IEM Katowice 2019, StarLadder Major Berlin 2019, BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023)
- 4x Intel Extreme Masters
- 3x ESL Pro Leagues
- 3x BLAST Pro events
Dan "apEX" Madesclaire
Image source: BLASTDan “apEX” Madesclaire took over as captain of a top-tier team late in his career, leading many to form early assumptions of doubt for his leadership skills. At the time, Vitality heavily relied on Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut's skills, and some questioned whether apEX, at his age, could effectively lead such an unusual roster of players.
To start out, Vitality began with a series of bold moves, adding “dupreeh” and Emil "Magisk" Reif and switching to English for communication. But things really began clicking when Lotan "Spinx" Giladi replaced Kévin "misutaaa" Rabier.
From them on, Vitality began winning. They won a Major title in 2024, the last CS:GO major ever - the Blast Paris Major. Vitality also delivered two big tournament wins: ESL Pro League Season 16 and IEM Rio 2023, both under apEX's leadership.
Despite being considered older in esports, apEX's passion still drives him while motivating the team during crucial moments.
Trial by Fire
apEX's journey to success was not always easy, especially in the beginning. As a prominent player from France, he represented top organizations such as Titan, LDLC, Envy, and later G2 Esports. However, it was his time with Envy that truly stood out for him, winning a total of six trophies including IEM Gamescom 2015, WESG 2016 World Finals, and his first Major title at DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015.
During his time with Envy, apEX found himself on top of the world, proudly waving the French flag on some of the biggest stages in esports. With the incredible talent of Kenny "kennyS" Schrub by his side, victory seemed almost guaranteed at the time.
What was more incredible is that apEX did not start as an in-game leader. He was in fact an incredibly promising French talent who played with some of the greatest talents in the French and Europe scene. As he grew older into veterancy, he dabbled with IGL-ing on a number of his later rosters before finally transitioning full-time while on Vitality.
Currently, the Vitality in-game leader is successfully leading one of the top teams globally, with impressive performances in the playoffs. Despite not clinching their first CS2 title yet, it is evident that Vitality has been fortunate to have such a skilled and effective leader for the past six years.
apEX’s notable achievements:
- DreamHack Valencia 2014
- IEM Gamescom 2015
- DreamHack Open London 2015
- DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015
- WESG 2016 World Finals
- 2x ESL Pro Leagues
- cs_summit 4
- IEM Winter 2021
- BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
- BLAST Premier World Final 2023
Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo
Image source: BLAST"My wife spent more time alone than with me, even though we are living together." - FalleN
The statement made by Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo over two years ago serves to illustrate the challenges of competing at an older age. Despite this, the Brazilian legend has continued to excel at 32 years old and has contributed significantly to his region's recognition in the esports world.
The Brazilian Godfather
Regional sire of the evergrowing list of modern Brazilian FPS talents that sprout forth from the fertile land, "Fallen" has undeniably earned his moniker for his devotion and contributions to the scene. Having played since 1.6, "Fallen" has withstood 3 generations of Counter-Strike professionals and now continues to stand amongs the 4th.
No matter which age he finds himself in, "Fallen" is recognized for his nuturing of notable talents such as Marcelo "coldzera" David and for his academy on training the next generation of passionate talents.
In most of the eras as well, "Fallen" is further recognized as an incredible in-game leader and one of the rare hybrid talents that can both call and wield the AWP. While he may not have been KennyS, "Fallen" is widely regarded to have been one of the best AWPers in the world during his prime.
The Flames Never Really Die Down
Although there have been moments where it seemed like FalleN's career was coming to an end, his wealth of experience cannot be overlooked. With two Major titles and 12 other notable trophies under his belt, his contribution to the industry is undeniable.
In addition to his time with Brazilian teams, FalleN also had a brief stint with Team Liquid where he led players like Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski and Jacky "Stewie2K" Yip. Unfortunately, the team did not find success during his time there, leading to his removal from the lineup.
Currently playing under the FURIA banner, FalleN has faced challenges as the team strives for success. Despite winning the Elisa Masters Espoo 2023, their path to achieving further victories has been arduous, akin to searching for gold in a barren mine.
FalleN’s notable achievements:
- MLG Columbus 2016
- DreamHack Austin 2016
- 2x ESL Pro Leagues
- ESL One Cologne 2016
- IEM Sydney 2017
- ESL One Cologne 2017
- BLAST Pro Series Copenhagen 2017
- ZOTAC Cup Masters 2018
- Elisa Masters Espoo 2023
- 4x MVPs at DH Austin, ESL One Cologne, BLAST Pro Series and Zotac Cup.
As aging is a natural process that cannot be avoided, it is important to acknowledge the excellence of these legendary individuals while they are still with us and to honor their contributions for generations to come. The fact that these players are still performing at a high level serves as evidence that hard work and dedication can lead to success in the game.
Credit: BLAST
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