A gamer with no limbs is better than you at ‘Counter-Strike’

Michael Olson has no limbs, so the fact that he chose “handi” as his nickname tells you something important about him.

Despite his disability, Olson is a highly competitive gamer. He plays Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. To be more precise, he plays it really, really well.

A 23-year-old Californian, Olson currently plays in ESEA, the top competitive platform in North America. In fact, he’s been playing and winning Counter-Strike tournaments since 2001.

Most Counter-Strike players use both hands and most of their digits to survey their surroundings and beat their opponents with rapid reactions. Olson has custom keyboard bindings, so you’ll see him “headbutting” his own keyboard throughout the game. He is able to “grip” his Logitech G3 mouse because its coating and light weight renders it very sensitive to any sort of friction.

He’s a quick player, able to use the iconic AWP sniper rifle with the utmost precision. It’s amazing to watch.

Handi’s story recently made the rounds in the Counter-Strike community. His solid play, openness, and humility have gained him thousands of fans. 

“Yeah it isn’t too often you run into people that kind of shine through your screen and you feel like you’d want to get to know them,” wrote commentator Anders Blume, “but Handi was definitely one.”

H/T ESEA / Photo via Michael Olson