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Aurora Finally Lifts a Major LAN Trophy

Aurora have finally broken their long-standing curse. After falling short twice this year, the Turkish powerhouse clinched their maiden LAN championship at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, edging out Legacy in a gruelling 3–2 grand final that stretched over six hours of high-stakes Counter-Strike action.

The victory marks a defining moment for Aurora, who had come painfully close to glory at both the BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals and the Esports World Cup earlier in the year. This time, they went all the way, claiming the Bucharest crown and a massive confidence boost ahead of the upcoming Budapest Major.

“I’m happy, I’m satisfied with the boys,” said captain Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli after the match. “The goal was to win here. That’s all I can say.”

The Grand Final: A Marathon Battle Against Legacy

Aurora’s path to victory wasn’t smooth sailing. The Turkish squad took early control on Dust2 before Legacy clawed their way back with relentless force buys, only for Aurora to snatch the opener 13–11 after a late surge.

On Mirage, Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş showed his class, leading Aurora with a massive +13.78% round swing as the team secured a 13–8 win. With strong performances from Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın and Samet “jottAAA” Köklü, Aurora found themselves one map away from their first LAN title.

Legacy weren’t ready to roll over, though. The Brazilian side fought back on Train and Inferno, taking both maps through sheer grit and clutches from Eduardo “dumau” Wolkmer and Lucas “lux” Meneghini, who posted a monstrous 2.70 rating on Inferno.

That set the stage for a dramatic decider on Nuke. jottAAA kicked things off with a quad-kill pistol round, and though Legacy rallied back to an 11–8 lead, Aurora shifted gears in the final rounds, sealing the title 13–11 to the roars of the Bucharest crowd.

XANTARES Claims His Career-First LAN MVP

Alongside the team’s triumph came another milestone: XANTARES finally earned his first-ever LAN MVP award. The 29-year-old Turkish star delivered an exceptional performance throughout the tournament, finishing with a 1.27 average rating across 23 maps and a 1.36 rating in the grand final alone.

His consistency was undeniable—second in overall K-D differential (+75), second in ADR (90.7), fourth in kills per round (0.82), and second in impact rating (1.58). It’s a long-overdue recognition for a player who’s been a cornerstone of Turkish Counter-Strike for nearly a decade.

Previously, XANTARES’s only MVP title came online, at DreamHack Open Summer 2020 Europe with BIG. Now, with Aurora’s Bucharest win, he’s proved himself once again, this time on LAN, in front of the world.

Redemption After a Rough Season

Aurora’s road to the top wasn’t easy. The team had stumbled earlier in the event, suffering back-to-back losses to HEROIC and SAW. MAJ3R later admitted that this was “the toughest period” the squad had faced in years.

But their resilience showed. They rallied against B8 in the quarter-final, dominated GamerLegion in the semi-final, and outlasted Legacy in the five-map decider. “Sometimes things weren’t going our way, but today we managed to make it for the first time,” said Özgür “woxic” Eker. “Before the Major, it’s going to give us great confidence.”

Community Reactions: Joy, Pride, and Memes

Fans across the Counter-Strike community erupted with emotion following Aurora’s long-awaited win. Turkish supporters flooded social media with celebration, with one user declaring, “The curse is over. Aurora finally did it!”

Others praised XANTARES’s achievement, calling him “the Turkish GOAT” and celebrating his first LAN MVP. Even critics admitted the team’s persistence had finally paid off. “Congrats for the first trophy,” wrote one fan, while another added, “SO WELL DESERVED.”

While debates continued online over whether Bucharest qualified as a “Tier 1” event, the sentiment was clear, Aurora’s journey from near-misses to champions captured hearts and headlines alike.

What’s Next for Aurora

With their first major LAN win now secured, Aurora enter the Budapest Major 2025 with renewed energy and confidence. After years of grinding, heartbreaks, and almosts, the Turkish giants have proven they can go the distance.

For MAJ3R, woxic, Wicadia, jottAAA, and MVP XANTARES, Bucharest was more than just a tournament, it was a statement. Aurora are no longer the underdogs. They’re contenders.