“Cai ‘CYPHER’ Watson: Confirmed not playing the Major”

“Cai ‘CYPHER’ Watson: Confirmed not playing the Major”

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One of the more surprising storylines emerging in the lead-up to the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is the confirmation that British rifler Cai “CYPHER” Watson will not participate in the tournament for his current team, fnatic, despite helping secure qualification. This announcement marks a sudden change in plans for the team and a disappointing moment for the player himself. 

The Announcement & What Happened

On October 23 2025, HLTV reported CYPHER’s confirmation that he will not appear in the Major, after being replaced by Ukrainian rifler Nikita ‘jackasmo’ Skyba in fnatic’s roster for the tournament. 
CYPHER expressed his disappointment publicly via X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Kinda crazy to me to be honest, was a dream to qualify after not qualifying for 2 years, disappointed but what can I do.” 
The statement came after earlier reports that fnatic had been continuing with a six-man roster, with the final decision on who would actually play at the Major to be taken closer to the event. Their captain, Rodion “fear” Smyk, had said: > “The decision will be made close to the Major.” 

Background: How We Got Here

CYPHER, a 22-year-old British rifler whose profile shows he played over 1,000 maps and has a rating around 0.98 this year, joined fnatic in July 2025 after leaving BC.Game. 
Soon after joining, he played a key role in helping fnatic qualify for the Major, winning the Fragadelphia Blocktober 2025 (where the team pulled off a Cinderella-style run despite being heavy underdogs). 
However, shortly after that success fnatic announced that jackasmo had joined on loan until the end of the season, and that it would stand in for CYPHER for at least the upcoming tournament (the CS Asia Championships 2025). CYPHER was moved to the bench. 

Community reaction to the benching decision was swift and critical. Many fans and commentators described the move as unfair to a player who had helped secure the Major spot, causing considerable backlash. 

The Impact & Significance

For CYPHER, missing the Major represents a big setback. After helping the team qualify, he now won’t appear on the biggest stage. It’s particularly notable for the British CS community, which has fewer players regularly appearing at Majors.
For fnatic, it’s a gamble: opting to bench a player who helped secure qualification and replace him with a younger talent suggests they believe the alternate (jackasmo) gives them a better shot at the event itself. But this comes at the risk of disrupting team cohesion and morale.
From a broader perspective, this kind of roster shake-up so close to a Major raises questions about internal decision-making and the stability of rosters in competitive CS2. The fact that the team admitted the decision would be made “close to the Major” suggests that the roster was not settled, which might hint at internal evaluation problems.

What’s Next

• For CYPHER: He remains with fnatic as a substitute according to HLTV’s announcement, and is still expected to receive an in-game sticker despite not participating in the Major. 

• For fnatic: They will go to the StarLadder Major with a line-up that is expected to be: Dmytro “jambo” Semera, Rodion “fear” Smyk, Freddy “KRIMZ” Johansson, Benjamin “blameF” Bremer, and Nikita “jackasmo” Skyba. CYPHER is listed as a substitute. 

• For the CS2 community: The decision has triggered discussion around roster fairness, player loyalty, and the risks of last-minute changes ahead of major events.

• The next major event for fnatic is the StarLadder Budapest Major. Fans will watch keenly to see how the lineup adjustment impacts performance.

Final Thoughts

The decision not to include CYPHER in the Major despite his role in getting the team there is a strong indicator that fnatic’s organisation is prioritising short-term competitive performance over player continuity. Whether this pays off remains to be seen — but for CYPHER himself, it’s a bitter pill to swallow after the high of qualification.
His career trajectory now depends on how he responds: whether he works his way back into the starting line-up, whether the team regrets the change, or whether other opportunities present themselves. For now, the moment underscores just how high the stakes are in CS2 roster decisions and how unforgiving the competitive landscape can be.