5 best CS2 AWPers of 2023

CS2 has seamlessly meshed in well with the pro scene after a couple of months and a few big events. Some of the biggest names have continued to dominate the scene, and the AWPer landscape has been similar. The familiar names many are accustomed to have transitioned smoothly into the new game by consistently delivering hard-carry performances.

Despite the AWP having reduced value in CS2 compared to CS:GO, having a dedicated player on the sniper is still essential. That said, let us take a look at the five best AWPers in the CS esports calendar of 2023.

Note: This article takes into account CS:GO and CS2 performances in 2023

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ZywOo, m0NESY and three more CS2 AWPers that stood out in 2023

1) ZywOo

Team Vitality's ZywOo (Image via ESL)

2023 was the year of "the chosen one", Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut. The French AWPer dominated the scene, whether it was CS:GO or CS2. He put up mind-boggling numbers on an extremely consistent basis, something that's almost impossible for any tier-1 pro to replicate.

ZywOo was one of the key reasons for Team Vitality's successful year, where the org managed to lift five big event trophies, including the final CS:GO Major. The 23-year-old is all but set to receive the #1 spot in the HLTV Top 20 of 2023. It is hard to argue against this fact when he has posted up a 1.30 rating across the entire year, making him the best AWPer of 2023.

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2) m0NESY

G2 Esports' m0NESY (Image via ESL)

Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov had one of the best debut years as a rookie ever since ZywOo's breakthrough into the scene in 2018. The Russian AWPer continued his sublime form this year with G2 Esports. Despite G2's inconsistency throughout the year, m0NESY was world-class when the team managed to win IEM Katowice and Cologne.

m0NESY's flashy mechanics, paired with his ever-growing understanding of pro CS, makes him one of the most promising prospects with the potential to be one of the greatest players in the history of CS2. With an incredible 2023 season in the bag, fans will be hoping to see the next level of m0NESY in 2024.

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3) dev1ce

Astralis' dev1ce (Image via ESL)

Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz has seen a fantastic resurgence in his career ever since his return to Astralis. The Danish legend seems to have found a new groove and has been the main carry force for Astralis along with IGL Benjamin "blameF" Bremer. dev1ce's supreme consistency in numerous big events has made him stand out in 2023.

The lack of title victories does put a dent in dev1ce's 2023 run, but it is undeniable that the 4-time Major-winning AWPer has enjoyed a wonderful year on an individual level. With the newly upgraded Astralis, dev1ce in his current form can propel the team to deep runs at big events once again.

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4) sh1ro

Team Spirit's sh1ro (Image via PGL)

Dimitri "sh1ro" Sokolov continues to be one of the best AWPers in the world, and his performance throughout 2023 has been nothing short of special. With a 1.23 rating across the year, sh1ro was unsurprisingly the most consistent player on Cloud9. However, the Russian AWPer struggled at IEM Sydney, the first CS2 event, and benched himself soon after.

Despite the lack of gameplay in CS2, sh1ro's performance in the 2023 CS:GO calendar was phenomenal, bar the absence in the Paris major. It will be interesting to observe if sh1ro can replicate this level of form with Team Spirit and with the general meta of CS2, considering the AWP's reduced impact in the game.

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5) SunPayus

Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia (Image via BLAST)

Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia was ENCE’s superstar player throughout 2023. Apart from a below-average Paris Major, the Spanish AWPer maintained incredible form across the year, putting up highlight-worthy statistics, including an MVP-level performance at IEM Dallas.

CS2 has been rough for ENCE, but SunPayus has managed to perform well at an individual level. With his move to Team Falcons alongside Maden and snappi, 2024 will allow SunPayus to elevate to a new level to bring home championships.