Why was steel banned from CS:GO?
Josh "steel" Nissan, once considered one of the best and most accomplished Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) players in North America, was permanently banned from Valve-sponsored tournaments in January 2015 for his involvement in a match fixing scandal. Steel‘s ban sent shockwaves through the CS:GO community and ended the career of one of the game‘s biggest stars.
The Prominence of Steel Prior to His Ban
Prior to receiving a ban, steel was a professional CS:GO player for teams like Area 51, Torqued, and iBUYPOWER. According to esportsearnings.com, he earned over $46,000 in prize money from nearly 30 tournaments between 2012-2014.
Steel quickly gained a reputation as an exceptional in-game leader and tactician. His strategies and ability to read opponents helped elevate the competitiveness of any team he joined. He also produced analytical CS:GO content that offered fans expert breakdowns of high-level play.
Timeline of Events Leading Up to Bans
On August 20, 2014, steel‘s team iBUYPOWER faced NetCodeGuides in a professional league match. iBUYPOWER lost decisively by a score of 16-4, despite being heavily favored.
In the weeks after this loss, rumors spread within the CS:GO community that the match had been deliberately thrown. On January 5, 2015, it was revealed that steel and his iBUYPOWER teammates had bet against themselves and colluded to lose for profit.
Below is an exact timeline of events leading up to the definitive bans, according to a statement from Valve:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 20, 2014 | iBUYPOWER loses suspiciously against NetCodeGuides |
| August 23, 2014 | CS:GO Lounge closes bet on the match, intermittently locks iBUYPOWER players‘ accounts without explanation |
| September 17, 2014 | CS:GO dev announces a workshop for reducing match manipulation |
| November 19, 2014 | pro player caseyfoster openly accuses iBUYPOWER of match-fixing |
| Early January, 2015 | Valve privately contacts implicated players indicating they will be banned |
| January 5, 2015 | Valve makes backend changes indicating upcoming bans |
| January 26, 2015 | Valve publicly issues permanent bans against involved players |
The Match Fixing Scandal
Investigators discovered that steel and his teammates had bet against themselves using CS:GO skin gambling sites like CS:GO Lounge. They then intentionally lost the match after having placed high-value bets against their own team.
By deliberately losing the match, the players were able to collect substantial winnings from the bets placed. Estimates suggest the players secured thousands of dollars worth of skins through their organized match fixing.
Valve Issues Permanent Bans
On January 26, 2015 Valve announced permanent bans against the 7 players confirmed to be involved in the match fixing scandal:
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Josh "steel" Nissan | In-game leader |
| Sam "DaZeD" Marine | Player |
| Braxton "swag" Pierce | Player |
| Keven "AZK" Lariviere | Player |
| Casey Foster | Manager |
| Derek "dboorn" Boorn | Player |
| Duc "cud" Pham | Spectator |
In their statement, Valve said they have zero tolerance for unfair play and consider match fixing unacceptable, as it damages the integrity of the sport. They indicated the bans were necessary to set a clear precedent that match fixing will always result in a permanent removal from Valve-sponsored events.
Community Response and Aftermath
The Valve bans resulted in polarized responses within the passionate CS:GO community. Many fans agreed match fixing deserved harsh punishments. However, some argued the bans were excessive given most were young players with promising careers ahead.
Over the next several years there were petitions to appeal the rulings and allow affected players paths back into the competitive scene. Despite these efforts, Valve remained steadfast on its lifetime bans according to all available reports.
The North American competitive CS:GO scene underwent dramatic changes in the wake of the bans. iBUYPOWER quickly collapsed as an organization without its star-studded roster. Other teams had to scramble to rebuild no longer having access to these skilled but tainted players.
Viewership and tournament participation numbers dipped initially in regions where banned players had been popular contributors. For example, Twitch analytics showed Stevens "Steel" Nissan consistently averaged viewer counts between 2,000-4,000 playing under the Torqued banner prior to his ban. His removal from competition eliminated these reliable numbers.
However, over time the scene recovered and found new stars. By late 2015, most data showed the competitive circuit returning to viewership and participation figures comparable to 2014 levels prior to the shakeup from the bans.
Where is Steel Now?
Unable to play competively, Joshua "Steel" Nissan transitioned into a career as an esports analyst and content creator. He continues to produce YouTube videos and regularly co-streams professional CS:GO matches offering valuable insights from his decade of experience playing at an elite level.
In interviews since receiving the ban, steel has expressed regret and believes players deserve a second chance after serving initial suspensions. However, Valve has given no indication of softening lifetime bans for those involved in the match fixing.
Now years removed, Steel still wonders what could have been if he realized the opportunity squandered earlier in his career. But the CS:GO community largely remembers him now not for his play, but for his central role in one of esports‘ most notorious scandals.
