K0nfig Sparks Controversy, Becomes CSGO’s Newest Villain
Last weekend, Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke gained a new reputation in the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) community as a villain. However, this wasn’t because of his team’s victory, but rather due to his controversial comments towards their opponents, G2 Esports.
Prior to North’s semifinal match against Team Liquid, G2’s AWPer, Kenny “KennyS” Schrub, expressed his desire to play against North because of their perceived arrogance. North ended up defeating Liquid on Nuke and Mirage, just as KennyS had anticipated.
In response to KennyS’s comments, k0nfig confidently said, “Good luck Kenny; I will **** you up.” This led to further anticipation for the grand final between G2 and North at the ESL Pro League Season 5 Finals the following day.
Related: G2 Esports storm through North at EPL Season 5 grand finals
During the event in Dallas, Texas, k0nfig responded to the biased crowd by saying, “We don’t give a flying **** if you cheer for G2, and we’re going to crush them to show who’s the best in the world.”
The crowd’s support for G2 went beyond cheering, with fans ghosting North’s positions and even starting a chant against k0nfig during the match. This seemed to have a psychological impact on North, affecting their performance in the grand final, especially on Cobblestone and Inferno.
Despite the controversial trash talk, k0nfig tweeted after North’s loss that everything on stage was just “fun and games.” However, G2’s Dan “apEX” Madesclaire revealed in an interview that there is no love lost between the two teams and criticized North for their arrogance.
North has gained a reputation for risky and disrespectful maneuvers, such as k0nfig’s controversial knife kill during the ELEAGUE Major in January. These actions, combined with their cocky attitude, have drawn comparisons to the vilification of Fnatic in 2015.
Despite the bravado, North lacks the tournament wins necessary to back up their confidence. Their banter may be causing them more harm than good, with community backlash and underwhelming performances.
Phillip Rasmussen, the community manager for North, admitted that they should consider avoiding banter as it seems to negatively affect their performance. K0nfig and North need to prove themselves with substantial results if they want to be regarded as the best in the world.
Astralis, FaZe, and SK will have an opportunity to challenge North’s claim at the Krakow Major.
eSports, CSGO, North, G2 Esports, k0nfig, trash talk, rivalry, arrogance, community backlash, tournament wins, Krakow Major
