At the very start, EliGe described his emotions about coming back:

I am super excited to play back onto the team, and let’s see where the season takes us.”

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

He stressed what excites him most about the current Liquid roster:

I’d say the thing that excites me the most is just the structure of the team and how everyone’s been playing this year. I think that Liquid’s been a really strong team, just barely not getting over the line. And I think that I have a lot to give. I’m still super motivated, and I’m really excited to slap myself into the system and get ready.

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

When asked about long-term goals, EliGe was clear:

I’d say an overarching goal is still to win a Major. Just winning tournaments again, being at the very top, I think that I’ve still been playing pretty well individually and still motivated to do everything that I need to to get the wins.

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

He also recalled his favorite moments from his previous Liquid career:

Favorite moments, of course, is the Grand Slam. I think that’s when everything was going great. Of course, 2019 was great. We were a very strong team. I think that we had really good fundamentals, good team play and chemistry. NITRO , for example, would just see me going somewhere, and he would already be offering what I want or walking up behind me. Same with Stewie2K or Russel [Twistzz].

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

EliGe noted how much CS2 has changed the game:

Of course, there’s a lot of difference between CS:GO and CS2 . The individual level has risen a lot with a lot of players. Everyone’s always saying how you have to always be moving, always be peeking. I think that probably could have been true in CS:GO as well, but players are just better now. They know how to peek angles better. And the smoke breaks are definitely my favorite. It just brings a whole new level of the tactical side of the game.

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

On the map pool, he didn’t hesitate to share his dislikes:

If I was to remove any maps right now, I’d probably either go with Inferno or Train. They just feel stuffy. There’s not as much freedom, not as many options compared to other maps. Mirage, Ancient , Dust2 — those maps feel really good, with a lot of push and pull and freedom to move.

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

Looking at the competitive landscape, he still sees one clear benchmark:

I still would say that Vitality is the team to beat. Just because they’re not winning tournaments, they’re still at the top. They’ve won tournaments since the player break. Until people have beaten Vitality , they probably won’t feel as accomplished with their wins.

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

He also spoke about his new teammates and the potential he sees in them:

I’ve heard a lot of good things. ultimate is a pretty funny guy and a very strong individual AWPer, young but explosive. siuhy is a really good up-and-coming IGL. Keith [NAF] has been playing really good since the player break. And Nertz is just a really cool guy. Everyone is so young, and there’s so much potential here.

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

Finally, EliGe reflected on his legacy and how he wants fans to remember him:

I’d say I just want to be remembered as one of the top players. Just someone that people remember for the plays or maybe they liked me as a player. I like teaching as well, that’s why I have a YouTube. However big of an impact I can make on players in the scene, just remembering me for those things — that’s what matters.

Jonathan “EliGe” Jablonowski

EliGe played nearly a decade for Team Liquid , becoming the face of the roster during its golden era and the historic Intel Grand Slam win in 2019. After leaving for Complexity in 2023, many thought the chapter was closed. His 2025 return now offers Liquid and its fans a chance at building another era at the top of Counter-Strike.