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Based in Ukraine, Natus Vincere, also known as Na’Vi, is one of the biggest and most renowned esports organizations worldwide. The Latin term for “Born to Win” is where the name Natus Vincere originates. The team is well-known for its outstanding accomplishments in a variety of esports, particularly in Rainbow Six Siege, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike.
Na’Vi was first established on December 17, 2009, to compete in Counter-Strike 1.6. They have since developed into a multi-game organization that manages different divisions and has won numerous prestigious tournaments.
A Brief History and Travels Natus Vincere(Na’Vi)
2009–2010: The Beginnings and Success of Counter-Strike
When their Counter-Strike 1.6 division won international competitions in 2010, Na’Vi gained widespread recognition. They became the first team in history to win three major tournaments in one year that year:
- Intel Extreme Masters IV
- ESL One Cologne
- World Cyber Games (WCG) 2010
This achievement made Na’Vi dubbed a new giant in the world of esports.
2011–2012: Spreading Wings
Dota 2 was one of the esports divisions that Na’Vi started growing. They won The International 2011 (TI1), the biggest Dota 2 tournament in the world, with a USD 1 million grand prize, proving that this choice was the right one.
At the time, Na’Vi’s illustrious Dota 2 roster consisted of:
- Danil “Dendi” Ishutin
- Clement “Puppey” Ivanov
- Ivan “ArtStyle” Antonov
- Dmitriy “LighTofHeaven” Kupriyanov
- Alexander “XBOCT” Dashkevich
Dendi, in particular, became a global icon thanks to his creative playing style and charismatic personality.
2013–2015: Challenges and Changes
Na’Vi is still a top-tier team, but their play has started to wane. Their Dota 2 division saw regular roster changes, and their Counter-Strike division switched from CS:1.6 to CS: GO.
Even though they haven’t yet regained the dominance they had in CS: GO, Na’Vi has still managed to win several prestigious titles.
2016–2019: The Era of Consolidation
Na’Vi is strengthening its organizational management, recruiting talented young players, and expanding its game portfolio. They are also starting to focus on games such as:
- Rainbow Six Siege
- PUBG
- Apex Legends
- FIFA
One of the most significant events in CS: GO was Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev’s 2016 entry. Many observers believe that s1mple is the greatest CS: GO player of all time.
2020–2021: Global Domination in CS: GO
Na’Vi’s success in contemporary CS: GO peaked during this time. They were the only team to win the Intel Grand Slam Season 3 in 2021. Na’Vi became the first CS: GO team to win a Major without losing a single map during the competition when they also took home the PGL Major Stockholm 2021 trophy.
The legendary CS: GO Na’Vi roster in this era:
- Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev
- Denis “electroNic” Sharipov
- Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi
- Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy
- Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov
2022–Present: Geopolitical Challenges and Regeneration
In order to reduce the participation of players from specific regions, Na’Vi had to reorganize its roster due to the geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Na’Vi continued to be competitive and one of the leading esports organizations in the world in spite of this.
Na’Vi Esports Division
To date, Na’Vi has and has had divisions in various games:
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive / Counter-Strike 2
- Dota 2
- Rainbow Six Siege
- PUBG / PUBG Mobile
- Apex Legends
- FIFA / eFootball
- World of Tanks (formerly)
- Mobile Legends
Social Contribution & Support to Ukraine
NAVI isn’t just a competitive star—they have a social commitment: in 2024, NAVI donated US$125,000 from their winnings at PGL Major Copenhagen to support the use of unmanned tactical vehicles (UGVs) in the Ukrainian military.
NAVI is also involved in the Saudi government-funded Esports World Cup support program to promote global tournaments.
Summary Recapitulation
| Aspek | Description |
|---|---|
| Established | 2009, Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Name | Natus Vincere (Latin: “Born to Win”) |
| Main Games | CS: GO/CS2, Dota 2, Valorant, MLBB, LoL, WoT, etc. |
| Key Achievements | ESWC, IEM, WCG (2010); PGL Major 2021; CS2 Major 2024; Intel Grand Slam |
| Legendary Player | s1mple, b1t |
| Social Contribution | Donations for Ukraine, esports independence advocacy |
| Current status | International multi-roster, competitive dominance continues |
FAQ Natus Vincere
Q1: Who established NAVI?
Murat “Arbalet” Zhumashevich and his Counter-Strike group, under the direction of Danylo “Zeus” Teslenko, founded NAVI.
Q2: Where is NAVI’s headquarters?
NAVI’s headquarters are in Kyiv, Ukraine, although they now have an international roster.
Q3: What is NAVI’s stance on the geopolitical situation?
Since 2022, NAVI has openly supported Ukraine, cutting ties with Russian companies and even donating a portion of its tournament prize money to support the Ukrainian military.
