woxic: “Our Goal Is to Reach Semi-finals in Every Event—To Do That, You Must Suffer”

woxic: “Our Goal Is to Reach Semi-finals in Every Event—To Do That, You Must Suffer”

August 19, 2025 — As Aurora gears up for the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, AWPer Özgür “woxic” Eker reflected with raw honesty on the team's current challenges and mindset shift. The Turkish squad is determined to slingshot past past frustrations and reestablish itself among CS2’s elite.

“A Bad Dream We’ve Got to Wake Up From”

Discussing their recent BLAST Bounty upset against The MongolZ, woxic described the loss as surreal. “I still can’t believe what happened there,” he said. “In my regular life, I’m saying ‘this didn’t happen—it’s a bad dream, and now we move on.’ Otherwise, I'd lose my mind.”

Addressing Tactical Gaps

Woxic attributed the collapse to the evolving economic mechanics on CT-side, where double-AWPs—a strategy once uncommon—now play a dominant role. He stressed, “Everyone needs to adapt to economy shifts; we can’t just rely on old habits.” He highlighted that competitors are leveling up, saying, “Some teams improve by 20%, we can’t settle for just 7%.”

Reaching Higher Standards

Aurora’s current form doesn’t align with their ambition. “Last year, we were consistently top‑4,” woxic recalled—especially after their successful run at PGL Astana. However, ongoing instability, including a 15–20 day absence of XANTARES, reset their momentum.

Woxic made clear the team’s new ceiling: “Reaching quarter-finals isn’t satisfying anymore. Our aim is semi-finals or beyond. If that’s your goal… you must suffer.”

Tactics and Mindset

The evolution of Aurora’s mindset involves rebuilding their mental toughness. woxic emphasized personal accountability: “We need every individual to push harder, take responsibility—if everyone gives just 5–6%, we’ll fall short.” This, he believes, is the core of meaningful progress.

Having said farewell to inconsistent tournament form, woxic revealed that his recent spark at BLAST Bounty stemmed from changes in his mindset and setup. He even updated his mouse and mousepad, and began dedicating more time to Faceit solo practice, bringing renewed confidence to the server.

Realism Meets Ambition

As rehearsals for Riyadh begin, woxic struck a balance between realism and aspiration. “We need to show that BLAST Bounty was an outlier—it wasn’t representative of the real Aurora.” And with that mindset, the team hopes to rediscover its identity and deliver performances worthy of its pedigree.

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Summary

Woxic delivered a frank assessment of Aurora’s trajectory—acknowledging recent setbacks while stressing the importance of mental resilience and tactical refinement. With XANTARES’s return and renewed focus, Aurora aims not just to compete but to thrive, targeting semi-final berths and beyond. The message is clear: growth demands sacrifice, and success hinges on embracing that walk.

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