HEROIC have officially confirmed the return of 22-year-old Turkish rifler Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç to their starting lineup after the conclusion of the Esports World Cup 2025. He will replace Belarusian AWPer Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich, who will be leaving the team. The move comes as a surprise to many fans, as xfl0ud was benched back in June, with Swedish player Linus “nilo” Bergman taking his place. At the time, the rotation was explained as part of a general roster rebuild during the offseason, when HEROIC lost key players — captain Eetu “sAw” Saha and AWPer Álvaro “SunPayus” García — who moved to G2.
TURKISH AIM IS BACK @xfl0udCS 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/nTmSE36d7u
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) August 12, 2025
Reasons for the Return
In a statement to HLTV, HEROIC’s Director of Esports Robin Nymann explained that Yasin’s return was partly driven by tournament requirements:
The truth is that this is a byproduct of Andrey [tN1R] leaving us. In order to retain our VRS points and keep the core from the pre-summer iteration of the roster, we had to bring back either Yasin [xfl0ud] or Álvaro [SunPayus]. Yasin has always been a consistent player, and we’re happy to have him back. Tobias [TOBIZ] had conversations with Yasin, and I spoke with his agent, about the improvements we want to see to make his return as successful as possible.
A Turbulent Season for HEROIC
xfl0ud’s return is yet another chapter in what has been a challenging year for HEROIC. After losing two core players in the summer, the organization tried to find the right mix by signing Tobias “TOBIZ” Theo and Gleb “gr1ks” Gazin, while bringing in nilo to replace xfl0ud.
However, the experiment with Belarusian AWPer tN1R lasted only two tournaments, after which HEROIC loaned Alimzhan “Alkaren” Bitimbai from Spirit.
Now, with xfl0ud’s comeback, the team will aim to stabilize the roster ahead of crucial autumn events. HEROIC Roster After EWC 2025:
- Linus “LNZ” Holtäng
- Linus “nilo” Bergman
- Simon “yxngstxr” Boije
- Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç
- Alimzhan “Alkaren” Bitimbai (on loan from Spirit)
- Coach: Tobias “TOBIZ” Theo
- Benched: Gleb “gr1ks” Gazin
Community Reaction
HEROIC’s Twitter post captioned “TURKISH AIM IS BACK” instantly sparked a wave of excitement among fans and players alike.
Here are some of the most popular reactions:
- veia: “SEXIEST MAN IN ESPORTS IS BACK”
- HEROIC (official account): “HE IS SO BACK”
- elias: “one borek pls @xfl0udCS”
- batu: “peace-is back”
- Kromek: “All that just to get Turkish comm back on your side (probably gonna work)”
- FiIQ: @xfl0udCS iyi şanslar knk 🇹🇷
- 1xBet Esports: “welcome home”
These reactions show that Yasin’s return is not just a roster move, but an emotional moment for the community — especially for Turkish fans who have long awaited his comeback.
What’s Next for HEROIC and xfl0ud
xfl0ud’s return allows HEROIC to maintain their tournament points and strengthen their firepower. The main question now is whether the Turkish rifler can quickly regain his form after almost two months away from official matches. His first real test with the renewed roster will come at the autumn LAN events, where HEROIC will have to prove they can compete against the world’s top teams.
