fnatic captain Rodion “fear” Smyk spoke about the team’s preparation for CS Asia Championships 2025 and the uncertainty surrounding their roster for the upcoming Major in Budapest. The Ukrainian confirmed that fnatic currently have six active players, and the final choice between jackasmo and CYPHER will be made “right before the tournament.”
FROM BIRCH CUP TO FRAGADELPHIA — FNATIC’S ROAD TO THE MAJOR
For fnatic, this year has been one of the most intense in the club’s recent history. After a disappointing performance at the Birch Cup, where the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals, their chances of qualifying for the Major looked slim. However, fear and his squad traveled to the United States for Fragadelphia Blocktober, where they unexpectedly won the tournament and secured the long-awaited spot at the Major in Budapest.
This is already my second Major, and every time, as they say, I ‘catch the last train.’ We fought until the very end, and it paid off.
JACKASMO OR CYPHER: FNATIC KEEP THE INTRIGUE
Immediately after the successful qualification, fnatic made an unexpected move — signing Nikita “jackasmo” Skyba on loan from Passion UA, while sending Cai “CYPHER” Watson to the bench. Explaining this decision, fear emphasized that it was “purely a sporting choice”:
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We felt that right now this lineup could deliver the best result. This is not a final decision — we have six active players, and who will play at the Major will be decided closer to the tournament.
The Ukrainian does not rule out the possibility that CYPHER could return to the starting five before Budapest but admits that jackasmo has fit into the team’s structure “much faster than expected.”
TEAM DYNAMICS AND FNATIC’S GOALS
After numerous roster changes in 2025 (the departures of MATYS, castle, and Burnylov, and the additions of jambo and Independent), fnatic have finally found stability. The team has climbed to #27 in the HLTV world ranking, and with an average age of just 24.8 years, they are one of the youngest among top-tier lineups.
We’re not setting unrealistic goals. Our aim is to advance from the group stage at CS Asia Championships and make the playoffs. If we maintain our focus, that’s absolutely achievable.
Coach Miks “Independent” Sliņš, who took charge of the team five months ago, also emphasized that the current fnatic lineup has “a balanced structure between experience and youth,” with blameF and KRIMZ serving as pillars for the newcomers.
CONTEXT — FEAR AND HIS ROAD TO THIS MOMENT
Rodion “fear” Smyk has been on the professional scene for over five years. Starting his career in NAVI Youth and NAVI Junior, he gradually worked his way through Benched Heroes, The Witchers, and Passion UA before joining fnatic in January 2025. In nine months with the team, he has played more than 250 maps, maintaining a Rating 3.0 of 0.90, while compensating with his strategic understanding and high utility impact (77/100). His role is not about stats — it’s about structure and team-oriented play.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR FNATIC
Ahead lies the start of CS Asia Championships 2025, where fnatic will open the group stage with a match against paiN. The team hopes to use the tournament as a full-scale rehearsal before the Major in Budapest, where the future of jackasmo and CYPHER in the lineup will finally be decided.
