Superstar veteran Nikola “NiKo” Kovač has told fans he will 100% become an IGL and emphasized his desire for consistency over a sole-Major crown.

The Team Falcons’ star rifler has been a force on CS servers for a decade. He has incredible game sense, and at the age of 28, still clicks heads with vigor.

Typically, as you get older, reaction times begin to wane. A move away from being the most destructive on the server and moving into the IGL role is a natural transition.

In a recent stream, clipped and shared on Reddit, he answered a few fan questions, and one stood out above the rest. A fan asked: “Will you go IGL later in your career?” to which NiKo gave a swift and straightforward answer: Yes, 100%. I will 100% become an IGL.”

There’s Proof in the IGL Pudding

NiKo certainly has the pedigree to become a good…or dare we say, great IGL. There’s already proof that he has what it takes to make difficult calls with expert precision.

On multiple occasions, NiKo has stood in as an IGL. While he didn’t see much success in a short stint as the IGL of FaZe Clan, NiKo impressed last year with G2 Esports at IEM Dallas 2024.

On G2, Jake “Stewie2K” Yip stood in for Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen, and NiKo became the temporary IGL.

He led the team out of the Group Stage, and in the Playoffs, managed to sweep FaZe Clan and 9z Team with 2-0 wins.

In the Grand Final, under immense pressure on LAN, NiKo-led G2 Esports took down Team Vitality in a 2-1 slugfest.

Sparks will inevitably fly when NiKo leads a team against his cousin. Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač adorned the mantle of G2 Esports’ IGL during the player break, with his debut as leader coming at IEM Cologne 2025 in a 2-0 victory against FURIA.

“I Just Hate Losing”: NiKo Doesn’t Want to Fade Away

The 28-year-old Bosnian legend has been consistently featured as a top 10 player, named #2 in 2016, #3 in 2017, and hasn’t dropped out of the top five players list since a #11 placement in 2018.

He is undoubtedly the best long-time player who hasn’t won a Major Championship. While one of NiKo’s goals is still to win a Major, he recently explained how consistency, or rather the lack thereof in the past few months, is hurting him more than losing a Major.

A fan asked, “Do you think you will ever win a major?” to which NiKo replied:

“Well, I hope so, you know. But for me, it’s much more important that I’m…kinda…I wouldn’t like to win a Major now and just disappear and be like shit for the rest of my career. I would rather be always good and compete for the rest of the titles rather than just winning a Major and disappear, to be honest.”

NiKo went on to state: “I don’t know how to explain, but I feel like Major lost its prestige in a way. Obviously, I would love to win a Major. It’s my dream and a goal, but for me, it’s much more about consistency in CS. This is hurting me much more. These past two to three months have been hurting me much more than just losing one Major.”

He took a long pause before finishing off his answer with: “I just hate losing.”

Team Falcons will compete at the Esports World Cup event (Aug. 20 to 24). Coincidentally, their first match in the single-elimination bracket is against huNter-’s G2.