fEAR on signing jackasmo: «At that moment I felt like this was the best choice; it’s not that I wanted to bring my friend»

fEAR on signing jackasmo: «At that moment I felt like this was the best choice; it’s not that I wanted to bring my friend»

The veteran Ukrainian CS2 player Rodion "fEAR" Smyk has opened up about the reasoning behind adding young Ukrainian talent Nikita "jackasmo" Skyba to fnatic’s active roster, stressing that the move was purely strategic — not personal favoritism. 

fEAR told HLTV: “I went to an international team to, first of all, pick up everyone I want.” He added that when the moment came to bring in jackasmo, “I felt like this is the best choice — that’s it, it’s not like I want to bring my friend.” 

He pointed out that he has known jackasmo for many years, they've played together at the Shanghai Major, and that jackasmo delivered solid performances in the past — giving him confidence in their synergy. 

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Why fnatic decided to bench CYPHER in favor of jackasmo

Last month, fnatic announced that Skyba had joined on loan until the end of the season, stepping in for Cai "CYPHER" Watson for the duration of the CS Asia Championships (CAC). 

According to fnatic’s Strategy & Analysis Lead Ross "RossR" Rooney, the choice was not cut-and-dry. The debate centered around whether to go with jackasmo or keep CYPHER — or even possibly rotate jackasmo with longtime veteran Freddy "KRIMZ" Johansson. In the end, they opted for jackasmo. 

This indicates that the move wasn’t about replacing an underperforming player, but about finding the optimal dynamic. According to fnatic’s internal evaluation, jackasmo likely offered something that better fit their current strategy and goals for the upcoming Major.

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The context: qualification for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 and technical challenges

fnatic have had a hectic run leading up to the Budapest Major: a “last-second dash” for enough VRS (Valve Regional Spot) points, followed by a roster change. 

Their first day in Hungary was chaotic: tech issues caused delays, and the team ended up playing a marathon match, with their game against Fluxo wrapping up well past midnight. 

Despite all that, fEAR said the technical delays didn’t affect them: “We did really well, to be honest, it didn’t affect us.” 

As for preparedness: fEAR conceded that while they might not be at 100% readiness, they had two and a half weeks of practice. He underlined that prior to this they had only alternated between tournament days and days off — limiting time for focused scrims and map-work. Still, “we are fine.” 

The addition of jackasmo also increased the presence of former Passion UA players on fnatic: now three former Passion UA members (fEAR, Dmytro "jambo" Semera, and jackasmo) play alongside two seasoned veterans. As fEAR noted, the team chemistry “is very good.” The transition — despite the age gap — has been smooth, with good morale and mutual jokes in the squad. 

fEAR argued that their path to the Major was fully deserved: “we went to five finals or six and won three,” so securing their spot was not a fluke but earned. 

Still, he warned that the team hasn’t yet shown “many tricks” prepared for the Major — implying they have more cards up their sleeve. 

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Who is jackasmo — a quick look at the young talent

Nikita “jackasmo” Skyba is an 18-year-old professional CS2 player from Ukraine. 

Before the loan to fnatic, he played for Passion UA, and he’s now being given a chance on a major-tier international roster. 

As of the latest statistics, jackasmo has a rating around 1.01 and has played 657 maps in his career. 

His teammates on fnatic now include both experienced names (such as KRIMZ, blameF) and former compatriots (fEAR, jambo). 

This mixture of youth and veteran presence appears to be part of fnatic’s strategic rebalancing going into the Major.

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What this move could mean for fnatic’s future

• The decision to integrate a young player like jackasmo shows that fnatic is looking beyond short-term fixes, aiming instead to build a roster with potential for long-term synergy.

• Replacing a more established player like CYPHER indicates that the organization — and coaching/analysis staff — value flexibility, map pool adaptability, or perhaps in-game style readjustments more than seniority.

• The reintegration of multiple former Passion UA teammates (fEAR, jambo, jackasmo) might help cement team cohesion faster than bringing in a random foreign free agent mid-season.

• fEAR’s insistence that the decision wasn’t about “bringing a friend” but about “the best choice” may help quiet early accusations of nepotism — though fan reactions quickly surfaced under the article.

• As fnatic enters the Major, the move suggests they are betting on new energy and unpredictability: fEAR himself hinted that not all strategies are yet revealed. If jackasmo adapts well under pressure, this gamble could pay off.

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Summary

In short: fEAR’s addition of jackasmo to fnatic’s roster was a carefully weighed decision — not a favor to a friend — made with the team’s competitive trajectory in mind. While some may view the move as controversial, fnatic seems to believe that youthful drive, prior chemistry, and the right mix of experience can give them an edge heading into the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. It’s a bold step — one that could define fnatic’s performance in this tournament cycle and possibly shape the team’s core for seasons to come.