SK Gaming will use substitute support player Lewis “NoxiaK” Felix for its upcoming relegations match against Gamers2. Felix will retain the starting position should the team win and continue to compete in the League Championship Series into 2016.
The team’s previous support, Christoph “ nRated” Seitz, left following a series of conflicts with management. Those issues came to a head in July, when the team threatened to fine players for not fulfilling PR obligations, like sitting down for interviews with news media. After heated arguments, management told Seitz that he “would never play for SK again,” which in turn precipitated a player revolt—SK was close to dropping its entire team. But at the urging of Riot Games, SK and its players stuck together until the end of the split.
This wasn’t the first time the organization looked to replace Seitz, however.
The team’s had a disappointing Spring Split playoff, falling to H2K Gaming in the third place playoff match—disappointing for a team that finished first in the regular season. The team planned a roster change, with Seitz the main target.
But the team’s players wanted differently. In a charge led by Simon “fredy122” Payne, SK brought back its former marksman Adrian “CandyPanda” Wübbelmann, leaving its spring starter Konstantinos “FORG1VEN” Tzortziou out to dry.
As it searched for a potential replacement for Seitz, the team was impressed by Felix’s play with MeetYourMakers, and he became a highly sought-after player after that team disbanded earlier this year. He received a tryout for GIANTS Gaming and was scouted by Elements and SK.
Each squad ended up choosing a different support, leaving Felix without a team. He was shortly picked up by Challenger squad Ex Nihilo, with whom he played the full Summer Challenger Series split, and which ultimately sold his contract to SK Gaming.
It’s uncertain what Seitz’s plan are next. He’s a veteran of the game, competing at the highest level since 2010. Recently, however, it’s become apparent that his performance is not on level with his peers—the likes of Fnatic’s Bora “Yellowstar” Kim—nor the newcomers in the League Championship Series.
Photo via Riot Games/Flickr
Esports moves fast and so do we. Check out today’s Quick Cast news update.
