flameZ to Vitality: What to expect?

Seeing as Vitality recently won IEM Rio 2023 and the BLAST.tv Paris Major, many fans and experts would expect them to stick by their roster and ride out their high, but that doesn’t look to be the case.

In a bold move, not many teams would go for, Vitality are looking towards flameZ to come into their roster, replacing five-time Major winner, dupreeh.

Not getting any younger and now a father, dupreeh undoubtedly has a ticking clock on his career, whereas flameZ is a much younger player with similar roles and far better individual performances of late.

A move that should be exciting to fans and experts alike, let’s take a look at how Vitality will look, and whether this move is a good one or not.

Vitality have been in great form of late. Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

What does the exit of dupreeh mean?

dupreeh’s legacy in CS:GO speaks for itself. The only player to play in every Major, he’s also the only player to win five of them.

An experienced Entry Fragger, his consistency and longevity in the role is unmatched, no one else has managed to stay relevant while playing in the role for so long.

Never really been touted as a player who should be removed from a team before the last couple of years, dupreeh may have rarely been the best in the world in the role, but as players like apEX, rain, and even RUSH all had brief periods as the best, dupreeh was always right behind them.

The main thing they lose is of course, his experience. As mentioned previously, no one has won as many Majors as him, and experience such as that can be vital in closing out the biggest games. You only have to look at his performance against Cloud9 on Vertigo at IEM Rio 2023 to see that in action.

That being said, the team isn’t without experience, even with his departure. Considering they won the most recent Major, everyone on the team bar flameZ will have won one, while both apEX and Magisk have won multiple. Experience is still present.

The loss of dupreeh also means that Vitality will likely adjust their CT sides. dupreeh himself has previously commented on the lack of a small site anchor within the team, and while he has been shifted into those roles in recent times, that doesn’t mean he is comfortable operating in them.

Losing dupreeh is a bold move for Vitality. Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

What does flameZ bring?

In flameZ, Vitality are gaining a player that is more than capable of not just filling the hole left by dupreeh, but filling others in the squad too.

While a quick look at a OG T side might tell you that flameZ operates as a Lurker and therefore contradicts that point, a deeper look will tell you otherwise.

Due to the lack of a real IGL for many months, OG often don’t default in the way other top teams do, preferring a 4-1 pack set up to a more spread out, passive default. In those defaults, flameZ often takes the place of an Opener, something more akin to a NiKo or YEKINDAR. An aggressive player who will look to force an early opening for his side, flameZ can offer aggression in a way no one else on the roster is capable of doing.

On the CT side, flameZ will also offer a much bigger threat in some key positions. On Mirage for example, apEX recently moved back into the Connector spot citing the need for a ‘crazier player’ in the position than Spinx. This is fine, but as apEX’s stats show, it’s not a position he should be in given how important it is on the map. Connector is a role flameZ has been playing on OG, and given his aggression and higher skill ceiling, it’s one he’s likely to step into again on Vitality.

While some of the other maps are harder to predict, given role clashes with every player on the team, the same isn’t true for Inferno, where flameZ is a 1:1 fit with dupreeh on both sides of the map.

More important than the discussion about roles, however, is the one about performance. While dupreeh may be a legend, his performances have been slowly trailing off for a while, and although that hasn’t been enough for Vitality not to win tournaments, it doesn’t mean he can’t be upgraded.

flameZ is one of the biggest rising stars in Counter-Strike. Photo: Michal Konkol

Is this move a good fit?

Ultimately, yes. flameZ is a versatile player who has shown great ability in being an aggressive opener in the modern era, a key factor when looking at other top teams. In addition to that, he’s also capable of being more passive when needed, and his true ability in doing so probably hasn’t actually been reflected by his time with OG.

CT side speaks for itself. While there may be some growing pains as people are moved about and begin to figure out new roles, the same truth will remain, they will have a higher skill ceiling and most likely a higher floor, and that is good for the team if they want a sustained period of success.

At just 20 years of age, flameZ is a young player who has already displayed his ability to perform at the highest level. While OG may not have provided him deep runs on any consistent basis, that was never his fault, and as the shining light on an often underwhelming roster, it was only a matter of time until he got an opportunity to truly shine like this one.

It's a bold move, but when talking about ambition and longevity, it's a smart one.