Aurora rebuild accelerates as MAJ3R steps down and soulfly is benched

Aurora’s rebuild has moved from possibility to reality. The organization announced that Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli is stepping down from the active roster and taking a break from professional competition. Hours later, Aurora also moved Caner “soulfly” Kesici to the bench, leaving the team with only XANTARES, woxic, and Wicadia on the active lineup.

This follows the earlier departure of head coach Sezgin “Fabre” Kalaycı, so the change is no longer just about one staff move. Aurora are now removing the captain, the coach, and one of the role players from the structure that carried the Turkish roster through its recent rise.

The timing is what makes the story important. Aurora were not a failed team looking for any solution. They remained competitive deep into big tournaments, finishing second at ESL Pro League Season 23 and reaching the top four at the IEM Cologne Major. That makes the rebuild more deliberate: Aurora are changing the team after proving it can contend, not after collapsing completely.

MAJ3R stepping down is the biggest structural change. He was not just another veteran in the lineup; he was the in-game leader and one of the main links to the Eternal Fire/Aurora identity. Removing the IGL means Aurora are changing how the team is directed, not only who fills a position on the server.

soulfly’s benching points in the same direction. His role was less glamorous, but those supportive positions often hold a team’s spacing and utility together. Losing a player like that does not always show up as a star-power loss, but it can change how comfortable the rest of the roster feels inside the system.

Winio read: Aurora should now be treated as a top team in transition rather than a stable top team. XANTARES, woxic, and Wicadia still give the roster a strong individual base, but losing the coach, IGL, and a support-role player adds uncertainty around vetoes, communication, role balance, and mid-round structure.

The key question is what kind of project Aurora are building next. If the team moves toward an international roster, the upside could be higher, but the short-term risk also increases. A wider talent pool can raise the ceiling, while language, leadership, and role changes can make the first version of the new roster less predictable.

For now, this looks like the end of Aurora’s old Turkish-core model rather than a normal roster adjustment. The remaining firepower is still serious, but the team’s identity has changed. Until the new lineup and coaching structure are clear, Aurora’s results will say as much about adaptation as they do about raw level.