Vitality will play PGL Masters Bucharest without apEX, but ZywOo says the team still plans to compete for the trophy. “It doesn’t matter if he’s there or not,” he said in a post-final interview with HLTV.
apEX will step away for the birth of his child, and ZywOo said Vitality intends to play with jL. William “mezii” Merriman may take on in-game leading duties, while the team plans to share more responsibility and communicate more without apEX.
The upcoming lineup change follows Vitality’s victory over MOUZ in the ESL Pro League Season 24 final, which gave the team its second trophy in a row. ZywOo earned the 34th MVP medal of his career after Vitality recovered from a slow start to the Fall season.
ZywOo also finished the tournament with a 2.03 rating across three Cache maps. He said the map had been one of his favorites as far back as 2017, and that his familiarity helps him know when to peek, swing, and support his teammates.
He was less pleased with Overpass leaving the map pool, since it had also been one of Vitality’s strongest maps. ZywOo said the rest of the pool felt consistent, though he thought Anubis could be better.
How much do you think apEX’s absence will change Vitality’s approach in Bucharest? Follow the team’s leadership and communication changes with us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
