Top Counter-Strike streamers of 2024

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Streams Charts continues its wrap-up of 2024, a year rich in livestreaming milestones and unforgettable moments. This time, we turn our attention to Counter-Strike, one of the most iconic esports titles and a livestreaming powerhouse that continues to captivate millions of fans worldwide. From its rich competitive history to its enduring appeal, CS remains a cornerstone of the gaming community.

When it comes to Counter-Strike livestreams, esports reigns supreme. The biggest draw for viewers is the high-stakes competition, with professional tournaments dominating the charts. Thanks to the rise of co-casting, more channels than ever are getting involved in covering major CS events, making the ecosystem even more dynamic. But there’s more to the game’s streams than just esports: ordinary high-level gameplay, entertaining show matches featuring streamers and pros, and even gambling-related content like case openings are hugely popular. In fact, the latter often attracts streamers who aren’t even avid players of the game.

The top Counter-Strike streamers of 2024 come from different countries and create a variety of content, but they all share one thing in common: esports coverage. Here are the streamers who played a crucial role in promoting Valve’s title to fans across the globe.

9-10 — Timur “Skywhywalker” Leonov and Ivan "StRoGo" Shurpatov

Russian-speaking viewers from Eastern Europe and parts of Asia form one of the largest and most passionate audiences for Counter-Strike, so it’s no surprise that six creators from this region secured spots in our rankings of top streamers.

Starting off our top 10 is Skywhywalker, who made esports the main focus of his channel this year. A big highlight for him was streaming two Major tournaments, bringing his audience right into the action. His coverage of these events helped him grow his following and stand out in the esports community. Whether it was breaking down key plays or giving fans behind-the-scenes insights, Skywhywalker made sure his streams were full of excitement.

Coming in at number nine is StRoGo, who has firmly made Counter-Strike his main game, setting him apart from other Russian-speaking creators on the list. He streams it on both his main and secondary accounts. What sets Shurpatov apart is that, unlike most others in the ranking, he rarely co-streams major tournaments. Instead, he builds his audience by streaming regular matches and collaborating with other popular streamers.

8 — Erik "fl0m" Flom

Fl0m has been around the Counter-Strike esports scene for years now. While the height of his Twitch fame may be behind him, his passion and dedication to the game remain unwavering, and fans continue to value his contributions to the community.

  fl0m has been active on the pro scene for a very long time / Image courtesy of Adela Sznajder / DreamHack   

Fl0m isn’t just a commentator, he’s still actively involved in the competitive scene with his streamer-player team, Mythic. Together, they compete in qualifiers, host their own events, and run the Mythic League, proudly branded as "North America’s official pathway to FACEIT Pro League." The league has become a critical stepping stone for up-and-coming talent, serving as a pipeline for future stars in North America’s Counter-Strike ecosystem.

While fl0m may not draw the massive audiences that some other streamers enjoy, his unmatched consistency and dedication have earned him a spot near the top of the rankings. He streams far more events than many of his peers, making his channel a reliable hub for esports coverage. For countless fans in the United States, fl0m has become the trusted face of Counter-Strike esports.

6-7 — Vadim "Evelone" Kozakov and Maksim "Shadowkekw" Pavlov

Evelone and Shadowkekw are two more representatives from Eastern Europe. Like Skywhywalker and Dmitry_Lixxx, they combine co-casting Counter-Strike tournaments with active participation in streamer-focused events like the popular Streamers Battle series.

Thanks to their affiliation with tournament-sponsoring betting companies, both streamers enjoyed the unique privilege of co-casting several events without a broadcast delay, giving them a significant edge over other creators streaming with a lag. Their viewership skyrocketed during the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, where they broadcasted live from the venue. In between matches, they hosted top players, who shared exclusive first-hand insights, and this unique content captivated audiences. Both Evelone and Shadowkekw also achieved new peak concurrent viewership records during the Major.

Evelone, in particular, has been riding a wave of momentum lately. Just days ago, he surpassed Kai Cenat in active subscriptions, a feat fueled by his massive Russian-speaking fan base. A significant chunk of these subs came during the Major, highlighting the impact of his content and strong connection with the community.

5 — Vyacheslav "Buster" Leontyev

Opening the top five is Buster, one of the leading figures in the Russian-speaking streaming scene. While his Counter-Strike content may seem similar to that of his peers (focused on events with fellow creators and esports tournaments), Buster stands out for his higher level of involvement and the larger audience he commands.

  Buster is one of the streamers who has fully embraced esports   

Buster’s connection to Counter-Strike isn’t just limited to streaming; he’s also the proud owner of his own team, GUN5. Founded in 2023, the team came into the spotlight this year as Buster became heavily involved in promoting it. GUN5 enjoyed a successful season, securing victories in several B-tier tournaments and competing in qualifiers for top-tier events. True to his commitment, Buster co-casted nearly all of the team’s matches, using his platform to draw more attention to their progress. 

Interestingly, Buster’s co-streaming efforts hit their peak viewership during the Intel Extreme Masters event. His most popular Counter-Strike stream of the year drew over 180,000 concurrent viewers at the IEM Cologne 2024 final between Natus Vincere (NAVI) and Team Vitality.

4 —  Piotr "izak" Skowyrski

Izak is undoubtedly the face of Polish Counter-Strike. A fixture in the game’s esports scene since the mid-2000s, 37-year-old Piotr Skowyrski may not have achieved major success as a player, but he has built an exceptional career as both a commentator and a streamer. His recognisable voice, sharp diction, and ability to balance exciting play-by-play commentary with deep strategic insights have earned him a loyal fanbase.

Unlike some of his Eastern European counterparts, Izak is deeply committed to Counter-Strike. He’s a constant presence in the scene, covering virtually every major tournament for Poland’s devoted CS fanbase, one of the game’s most enduring audiences.

This year, Izak’s channel received a major boost thanks to roster changes in G2 Esports, which brought the Polish IGL and coach duo, TaZ and Snax, into the fold. These moves reignited local excitement, and Izak’s streams became a rallying point for Polish fans supporting G2 during premier international competitions. It was during key G2 Esports matches that the streamer achieved his best viewership numbers this year.

3 —  Igor "SL4M" Sopov

SL4M is for sure the most iconic Russian-speaking Counter-Strike commentator to date. A 36-year-old veteran of the scene, Sopov has been a fixture in esports since the days when NAVI wasn’t yet a global powerhouse, even back during the Counter-Strike 1.6 era. It’s no surprise that he’s built a huge following among Russian-speaking fans, many of whom associate the very essence of esports with his name.

SL4M has spent years as a key figure in StarLadder’s talent roster before moving to WePlay, and last year he made the leap to independent tournament casting: a decision that has paid off perfectly. He’s dedicated entirely to tournament coverage and has maintained a regular, consistent streaming schedule that’s earned him a loyal and growing audience.

Just like many top-tier casters, SL4M has skillfully leveraged multicasting to reach a broader audience. While his YouTube numbers may not match those on Twitch, it’s still a valuable platform where he attracts significant viewership. Thanks to the cumulative impact of his presence on both Twitch and YouTube, he’s rightfully earned his place among the top commentators in the industry.

2 — Mark “ohnePixel” Zimmermann

In just a few years, ohnePixel has evolved from a little-known aspiring streamer into arguably the most influential content creator in Counter-Strike. After all, Zimmermann is the only content creator to be honored with a reference in the game itself, a testament to his impact on the community.

From unboxing cases and breaking down the intricacies of rare skin patterns to co-casting major tournaments alongside notable pro players, ohnePixel consistently captivates his audience. His ability to combine decent knowledge of the game with a charismatic and entertaining style makes his content a must-watch for Counter-Strike fans.

This year, ohnePixel has firmly established himself as the leading English-speaking streamer in Counter-Strike, further strengthening his position at the top. He is the only English-language streamer who occasionally manages to attract more viewers than the official tournament broadcasts, and his streams with professional player Justinas “jL” Lekavičius have evolved into a distinct art form of their own.

It may surprise many, but Zimmerman confidently secured second place, even after stepping away from streaming for two full months in September and October. This followed the surprising success of Drillas, a lighthearted mix team affiliated with Zimmerman, that defied expectations by qualifying for the Perfect World Shanghai Major RMR. Although the dream didn’t come true and Drillas failed to qualify for the Major, Zimmerman still made history. It was thanks to him and his team that the Asia-Pacific RMR reached a six-figure viewer count for the first time in the series’ history.

1 — Alexandre "Gaules" Borba

Gaules' journey from player to coach, to commentator, and ultimately to an iconic figure in the Brazilian Counter-Strike scene has established him as the most influential person in Brazilian Counter-Strike streaming. This is proven by the numbers, as Alexandre once again finished the year as the most-watched CS livestreamer in the world.

Whether it's a tier 2 local tournament with Brazilian teams or a million-dollar premier event, the Gaules channel (when he's covering the tournament) remains the primary hub for Brazilian viewers. While Gaules reached his peak popularity a few years ago, he continues to draw tens of thousands of viewers consistently. And when there’s a Brazilian team to root for, the engagement on his channel increases even more.

Gaules has long been streaming on Twitch, but this year he added YouTube to his repertoire through multistreaming. Competing with him now is tougher than ever. And how could it be any other way for someone who can single-handedly influence the viewership of the biggest CS tournaments?

Best Counter-Strike Streamers of 2024