NaVi captain Aleksib rages at CS2 Shanghai Major crowd

During the 2024 CS2 Shanghai Major, NaVi team captain Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen blasted the Shanghai crowd and observation team for ruining plays.

On December 7, 2024, Natus Vincere defeated GamerLegion and entered the 2-2 pool in the Shanghai Major. The reigning champions are just one win away from securing their spot in the playoffs but it wasn’t easy. Many fans claimed the team faced issues because the Shanghai crowd gave away team plays to the opposing side.

The NaVi team captain Aleksib elaborates on his criticisms of the crowd in an impromptu video.  Aleksib corroborates the fan sentiment that the crowd ruined the game.  With so much on the line at every tournament, any potential obstacle to victory can be catastrophic for a professional team. Even if it’s something as seemingly mundane as a crowd of backseat hecklers.

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Aleksib claims that the settings observers made it easy for the Shanghai crowd to give away plays and potentially ruin the game. Aleksib claims that opponents can hear when the crowd screams out vital information.  He stated that there was a moment when he was flanking a smoke and the crowd erupted in screams. The NaVi captain claims he wasn’t sure if they were screaming because of him or something else was happening. He said that caused him to mess up his timing. Aleksib elaborated that he doesn’t understand why organizers don’t remove X-rays for clutches to avoid these incidents.

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Other viewers pointed this out as an ongoing issue with esports overall, not just the Shanghai crowd. Fans want to feel like they are part of the game. That’s why the emotion sometimes causes them to shout out vital information that can change the outcome. Many fans agreed with Aleksib’s suggestions. They believe X-Rays should be disabled for clutches but kept on for the rest of the game. Fans claim this could increase the immersion and make for more exciting plays in the tournament. The observation team needs to make sure these incidents can be avoided.

While Aleksib’s complaint is valid among pro esports fans, others feel it’s part of the game and nothing should be done about it. Many fans claim turning off X-ray observation will ruin the game for them. They feel looking at these key moments has a special value that will be lost. As the CS2 Shanghai Major approaches its finale on December 15, 2024, fans hope it goes smoothly for the crowd and the team.