Yesterday, it became officially known that CYPHER would not be playing at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. The player himself confirmed this, and shortly after, Fnatic representative Ross Rooney explained the team’s reasoning.
In his statement, Rooney emphasized that the replacement was not due to any issues with CYPHER, but rather because the team wanted to build the most optimal lineup for upcoming tournaments. Below are the key points from his explanation:
- The opportunity to continue with JACKASMO arose as a chance to form the best possible lineup for future competitions, including the upcoming tournament in China.
- Internally, there were debates about whether to keep the JACKASMO + CYPHER duo or the JACKASMO + KRIMZ combination. The team ultimately chose the latter, as there was noticeable synergy between Mykyta ( JACKASMO ) and Freddy ( KRIMZ ) both in playstyle and personality.
- Despite having similar roles to KRIMZ , the young JACKASMO quickly adapted to a more aggressive playstyle.
- The team’s success at the Shanghai event strengthened trust in coach fear ’s vision, who managed to fully unlock the roster’s potential. After extensive internal discussions, all team members — both players and staff — agreed that this was the right direction for the team’s future.
- The final decision regarding CYPHER was delayed because there were doubts about whether the team could perform without his opening fragging ability, but their showing at CAC made things clear.
- Rooney stressed that this was a difficult decision, based not on personal conflicts but on the stylistic vision of the team’s structure.
As a result, Fnatic will start their run at the Budapest Major with an updated lineup, hoping that this five-man roster will allow them to fully realize their potential.
For context, CYPHER joined Fnatic in July 2025 and helped the team qualify for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, while JACKASMO began playing with the team only recently, initially as a stand-in.
