Apeks may be out of the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major already, as they went 1-3 in the Opening Stage, but their player, STYKO, grabbed himself the spotlight on March 21 as the Slovak announced he will donate 20 percent of his sticker earnings to good causes.
The 10 percent money will go to the family of the late David “cynic” Polster, a CS2 pro who passed away in January. He will also donate another 10 percent to the Twisten Foundation, which was put together after a VALORANT pro, Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener, passed away in June 2023.
STYKO claims mental health is a topic we don’t pay much attention to in esports, and with his donations, he would like to change it. “Chasing trophies and wins in life is respectable, but it is never an easy path. Managing a well-being and mental health of young players is put aside in vision of pushing themselves to pursue their career,” STYKO wrote on X.
“We need to avoid these tragedies,” he added. With his donations, he aims to raise awareness about players’ mental wellbeing, and asked everyone to help as much as they could, adding that simply sharing the tweet can “go a long way.”
Organizations, pro players, influencers, journalists and fans alike came out in support of his move. “This is an incredibly admirable thing you are doing,” Ryan Friend, Dust2.us’ journalist wrote.
Stickers themselves went live on March 21, on the day when the Elimination Stage of the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major is scheduled to start. Apeks and STYKO only managed to secure only one win in the Opening Stage and didn’t get this far in the event, but their stickers still can be unlocked in the game following March 21’s update.
