Expect the Unexpected — Cyanide and xPeke Leave Fnatic
The yearly preseason for League of Legends has always proven to be a time of change and upheaval, and never has that been truer than in preseason 5. Roster changes the world over have left the majority of the competitors at this year’s World Championships with vacant slots and new faces.
We’ll be covering the full list of roster changes when the Season 5 proper starts, but for now, League fans must say goodbye to the status quo of Fnatic’s LoL team. Enrique “xPeke” Cedeño Martinez and Lauri “Cyanide” Happonen have chosen to leave the organization.
Fnatic is a huge brand, with its teams finding success in League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Dota 2 and most any organized eSports scene in the world. As far as League of Legends is concerned, the name ‘Fnatic’ will always be synonymous with one of the longest running professional teams in Europe, showstopping performances in major tournaments and of course, League’s version of El Clasico.
Mirroring the clashes of football giants Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, every Fnatic vs. SK Gaming match would be hyped to all heaven, largely owing to the showdown of the two Spanish mid laners in xPeke and Carlos “Ocelote” Rodríguez Santiago.
The tradition has survived long after Ocelote left SK, and even with xPeke’s departure, fans can appreciate the legacy great players have contributed to the sport.
Fnatic’s World Championship winning squad in 2011
Cyanide and xPeke have been part of Fnatic since Season 1, and in four years have won one World Championship and three European League Championship Series titles.
xPeke first broached the idea of leaving to form his own team shortly after Worlds 2014. Cyanide on the other hand is looking to distance himself from the competitive scene, although he has not made mention of retiring permanently.
The most recent Fnatic roster before the split
You can view Fnatic’s official statement, as well as what both players had to say about their departures on Fnatic’s website.
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