Stewie2k

The prodigy who broke the North American major drought and led Liquid through a record-breaking year.

Jacky "Jake" Yip, known globally as Stewie2K, is a pivotal American figure in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Counter-Strike 2. Born on January 7, 1998, he made history with Cloud9 as the first North American player to win a Valve-sponsored major, a feat achieved alongside four teammates after defeating FaZe Clan in double overtime at ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018. His journey began in San Francisco, where he left home at 17 to chase professional dreams in Los Angeles. Yip later joined Team Liquid, becoming the first North American CS:GO player to surpass $1,000,000 in tournament prize money after finishing as runner-up to Astralis in the ECS Season 8 Finals in December 2019.

Quick Facts

Born: 7 January 1998
Nationality: American
Role: In-game leader; Rifler (entry fragger)
Nickname: Stew
Career games: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive; Counter-Strike 2

Lore & Background

Stewie2K's path was forged in conflict with his family; raised by "stereotypical Asian parents" who viewed gaming as a failure, he felt driven out of his home. His mother believed he would amount to nothing, yet Yip left at 17, flying to LA to pursue what she dismissed. He initially played Counter-Strike 1.6 with his older brother Jason but drifted to RuneScape and League of Legends before returning to surf maps in CS:GO after a friend gifted him the game in summer 2014. After five months of matchmaking, he switched to ESEA, where false cheating accusations only fueled his drive to prove himself professionally. His early competitive spark came from Cloud9 videos, leading him to wait for Sean Gares' departure before joining the team on January 11, 2016, just hours after turning 18.

Reader's Guide

Stewie2K's career trajectory shifted dramatically after late 2021 when he was removed from Team Liquid's active roster. He signed with Evil Geniuses in January 2022 but announced in July 2022 that he would step away from competitive Counter-Strike to focus on streaming CS:GO and Valorant for the EG Creator Collective. His return to live competition occurred in May 2024, when G2 Esports recruited him as a stand-in for Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen at IEM Dallas due to personal reasons. This marked his first LAN event in two years. In a stunning run, G2 defeated MOUZ, Team Liquid, and FaZe Clan to reach the final, where they secured the championship by defeating Vitality 2-1.

Did You Know?

He was falsely accused of cheating during his ESEA days, which motivated him to pursue a professional career.
His mother's belief that he would be a failure drove him to leave home at age 17 for Los Angeles.