kyxsan Responds to NiKo Feedback Criticism as Aurora’s CS2 Project Takes Shape

Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski has responded to Nikola “NiKo” Kovač’s criticism of his approach to feedback during their time together at Falcons, arguing that the comments did not tell the complete story of his tenure with the organization.

Speaking to HLTV during ESL Pro League Season 24, the Aurora in-game leader said he remains open to criticism and believes playing alongside experienced teammates — both past and present — gives him opportunities to develop as a leader. He also discussed Aurora’s improving mentality, his relationship with coach Ashley “ash” Battye, and the gradual implementation of his own tactical system. 

The interview came during Aurora’s run to the top four at ESL Pro League Season 24. Since the interview was published on October 9, Aurora went on to lose 1-2 to Vitality in the semi-final on October 10. 

Quick Summary

What happened between kyxsan and NiKo?

The discussion traces back to comments NiKo made in September while appearing on the LINKED podcast.

According to HLTV’s summary of the appearance, NiKo discussed why kyxsan was replaced at Falcons and contrasted his leadership with Finn “karrigan” Andersen, specifically pointing toward kyxsan’s approach to receiving feedback from teammates. 

Asked about those comments during ESL Pro League Season 24, kyxsan pushed back on the broader interpretation.

He acknowledged that part of NiKo’s assessment could have applied to the final period of their time together, but argued that focusing on the last one or two months omitted important context from the preceding year.

More importantly for Aurora, kyxsan rejected the idea that he is generally resistant to criticism.

“I'm always open to feedback.”

He added that playing with experienced and accomplished teammates gives him opportunities to learn, whether those players are former Falcons teammates or members of his current Aurora roster. 

That distinction is important. kyxsan did not claim that every criticism of his Falcons period was wrong. Instead, his position was that the public characterization was incomplete and should not define his overall approach to leadership.

kyxsan and Aurora: A New Leadership Test

The discussion matters beyond an exchange between two former teammates.

Aurora represents kyxsan’s next major leadership project, and the current roster gives him another opportunity to demonstrate how his approach works around established players.

The lineup features:

HLTV lists kyxsan and Jimpphat at approximately three months with the organization, while XANTARES, woxic and Wicadia form the experienced core of the lineup. 

That mixture creates a different leadership environment from Falcons. kyxsan is not simply installing a system around inexperienced pieces; he is coordinating players who already have established tendencies and significant high-level experience.

kyxsan Says His System Is Starting to Take Shape at Aurora

One of the more significant competitive points from the interview concerned Aurora’s tactical development.

kyxsan said that having more time with the roster has allowed him to increasingly implement the style he wants Aurora to play. He also indicated that the players are becoming comfortable within the system. 

That makes the timing of Aurora’s ESL Pro League run notable.

During the group stage, Aurora defeated 9z, BETBOOM and FURIA while losing to Falcons. They then swept 1win 2-0 in the quarter-final to secure a top-four finish. 

Their run ended against Vitality in the semi-final. Aurora won Anubis 13-7 but lost Cache 7-13 and Mirage 8-13, resulting in a 1-2 series defeat. 

The result prevented Aurora from reaching the grand final, but their playoff run provided a meaningful high-level test of kyxsan’s developing system.

The ash–kyxsan Partnership Could Be Crucial

kyxsan also highlighted his relationship with coach ash.

The Aurora IGL said he had been positively surprised by their connection and credited ash with significant preparation work. According to kyxsan, the coach contributes particularly on CT sides while also providing input for T-side play. 

The division of responsibility is worth monitoring.

In a roster containing experienced personalities, Aurora's coaching structure is not only about tactical preparation. kyxsan also credited ash with helping bring the team together and maintaining the right mentality in important matches.

That could make the IGL-coach relationship one of the central elements of Aurora’s long-term development.

Mentality Remains an Aurora Work in Progress

kyxsan was also candid about one area where Aurora has not yet reached its desired level: mentality.

He said the problem still appears in certain games, but believes the situation has improved significantly compared with roughly two months earlier. The team continues to work on it regularly. 

XANTARES was specifically discussed in this context.

Rather than presenting experienced players as resistant to change, kyxsan described XANTARES as someone who remains highly invested in Counter-Strike and willing to work on improvements.

That provides additional context to kyxsan’s wider comments about feedback. His apparent philosophy at Aurora is not based on simply imposing an IGL system on established players, but on finding solutions that work across the roster.

Timeline: NiKo’s Comments, Aurora’s EPL Run and kyxsan’s Response

Why kyxsan’s Comments Matter for Aurora

The story has more competitive significance than a simple disagreement between kyxsan and NiKo.

The key question surrounding kyxsan is whether lessons from Falcons translate into a stronger leadership model at Aurora.

There are early signs of development. kyxsan says his system is becoming more established, his relationship with ash is working well, and the team's mentality has improved compared with its earlier stage. Aurora reaching the ESL Pro League top four gives those comments competitive context. 

At the same time, the Vitality series showed that the project remains unfinished.

Aurora were capable of beating Vitality convincingly on Anubis, but could not maintain control across the full best-of-three. Vitality responded on Cache and then closed Mirage despite Aurora attempting a late comeback. 

That makes consistency against elite opposition the next major benchmark.

Tactical Impact

From kyxsan’s comments, Aurora appear to be moving from an adaptation phase toward a more defined tactical identity.

His partnership with ash is particularly relevant here. kyxsan described ash as contributing substantially to CT preparation while also offering T-side input, leaving the IGL room to establish his preferred approach inside the server. 

The semi-final against Vitality illustrated both the potential and the remaining challenge.

Aurora produced a strong Anubis performance, winning 13-7, but Vitality adapted and won the next two maps. That does not by itself establish a structural tactical weakness, but it provides a useful benchmark for evaluating whether Aurora can reproduce their best level throughout longer playoff series. 

Tournament and Ranking Impact

Aurora’s ESL Pro League Season 24 campaign established the new lineup as a top-four finisher at a major international event.

As of October 10, HLTV listed Aurora at No. 9 in its world ranking and No. 6 in Valve’s VRS. 

Those rankings should be treated as a snapshot rather than a direct measurement of the impact of kyxsan’s interview or a single tournament. No specific post-EPL VRS movement should be assumed until the relevant ranking data is published.

Post-EPL VRS change: TBD.

Post-EPL HLTV ranking change: TBD.

What Changes Now?

Nothing in kyxsan’s comments indicates an immediate roster or role change.

Instead, the interview clarifies the direction of Aurora’s current project.

kyxsan remains the in-game leader. ash remains the coach. The organization is working with a five-player lineup of XANTARES, woxic, Wicadia, Jimpphat and kyxsan. 

The priority therefore appears to be refinement rather than restructuring: developing kyxsan’s system, improving consistency and mentality, and strengthening the working relationship between the IGL, coach and experienced core.

What to Watch Next for kyxsan and Aurora

The immediate test is Aurora’s response to the Vitality defeat.

HLTV currently lists Spirit as Aurora’s opponent in the ESL Pro League Season 24 third-place match on October 11. Aurora are then scheduled to face 9z at Thunderpick World Championship 2026 on October 14. 

Those matches offer several points to monitor: whether Aurora can rebound immediately after the semi-final loss, whether their map pool continues to support kyxsan’s preferred system, and whether the mentality improvements he described remain visible under playoff pressure.

The longer-term question is more significant: can this lineup turn encouraging tournament runs into consistent deep finishes?

FAQ

What did kyxsan say about NiKo’s criticism?

kyxsan said he did not believe NiKo’s comments represented the complete story of their time together at Falcons. He acknowledged that some of the criticism may have applied to the final month or two, but argued that it lacked the context of the earlier period. 

Is kyxsan open to feedback?

According to kyxsan himself, yes. He said he remains open to feedback and tries to learn from experienced former and current teammates. 

Who is on Aurora’s CS2 roster?

Aurora’s current starting lineup is XANTARES, woxic, Wicadia, Jimpphat and kyxsan, with ash serving as coach. 

How did Aurora perform at ESL Pro League Season 24?

Aurora reached the semi-finals after beating 1win 2-0 in the quarter-final. They then lost 1-2 to Vitality after winning the opening map, Anubis. 

What is next for Aurora?

As of October 11, HLTV lists Aurora against Spirit in the ESL Pro League third-place match, followed by a match against 9z at Thunderpick World Championship 2026 on October 14.