Aurora have moved on from MAJ3R, with the Turkish veteran stepping down from the active Counter-Strike 2 roster and pausing his professional career to spend more time with his family.
In a statement on X, Engin Küpeli said the break was not an easy decision and that he wants to put more focus on being a father and husband. Aurora added that he will remain part of the Aurora Gaming family and that a new role for him will be announced soon.
MAJ3R leaves after more than a year as the captain of Aurora’s starting five. He joined the organization in April 2025 alongside Ali ‘Wicadia’ Haydar Yalçın, Ismailcan ‘XANTARES’ Dörtkardeş and Özgür ‘woxic’ Eker, after building his reputation on Eternal Fire.
During that run, Aurora stayed near the sharp end of the scene. Their best results included second place at Esports World Cup 2025 and ESL Pro League Season 23, a top-four finish at the recent IEM Cologne Major, and a title at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025.
The change also adds another layer to Aurora’s rebuild after coach Sezgin ‘Fabre’ Kalaycı left. The roster now lists XANTARES, woxic, Wicadia and Caner ‘soulfly’ Kesici.
Tell us what you think in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.
Counter-Strike 2
Developed by Valve
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.
A free upgrade to CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2 marks the largest technical leap in Counter-Strike’s history. Built on the Source 2 engine, Counter-Strike 2 is modernized with realistic physically-based rendering, state of the art networking, and upgraded Community Workshop tools.
- Genre: Shooter, Tactical
- Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer
- Release: 2023-09-27
- Publisher: Valve
-
Age Rating:
PEGI 18 / GRAC 19+ / USK 18 / CERO Z / ESRB M / CLASS_IND 18 / ACB R 18+
- IGDB Rating: 67.5/100
