Fnatic IGL Boaster opens up about his mindset and expectations for Masters Toronto 2025. From a rough 2024 to a new roster and playoff qualification, here’s what fans should know.
Fnatic’s journey through the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) has been a rollercoaster of highs and humbling setbacks. After dominating the 2023 season with a string of international wins, the 2024 season brought more tempered results. Despite claiming both VCT EMEA Stage 1 and Stage 2 titles, the team failed to convert regional success into international dominance, falling short at global events.
Heading into the 2025 season, expectations were mixed, both externally and internally. Fnatic missed out on qualifying for Masters Bangkok, a setback that prompted questions about the team’s future. However, a significant turnaround in Stage 1 secured the team’s redemption arc: a direct qualification to Masters Toronto as the EMEA region’s first seed.
During a pre-event press conference, Fnatic’s in-game leader Jake “Boaster” Howlett shared a candid reflection on his outlook for the season and his goals for the Masters Toronto event. “After last year, I went into this year not really expecting to win much,” Boaster admitted. “I just wanted to enjoy the game.” With a lighthearted nod to teammate Austin “crashies” Roberts, Boaster joked, “There’s nothing more romantic than winning a Masters with your loved one.”
Although his tone was playful, Boaster’s comments revealed a deeper sense of gratitude and maturity developed over years of competitive highs and lows. “For me, if we were to potentially win this event, then that would just be such a cool gift. It reminds me to be grateful for the times we were pretty dominant in 2023, because since then, it’s been a grind.”
One of the most significant changes to Fnatic’s roster this year was the departure of star duelist Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev, a move that sparked widespread concern among fans. He was replaced by rookie Kajetan “kaajak” Haremski, an unexpected but ultimately stabilizing addition. Kaajak’s fresh perspective, paired with Boaster’s new on-the-fly calling style, has reinvigorated the team’s strategy and in-game adaptability.
This evolution has already paid dividends. With their Stage 1 win, Fnatic earned a direct bye to the playoffs of Masters Toronto, which are scheduled to take place from June 13th to 23rd. Until then, Boaster and company have the rare luxury of observing their potential opponents, prepping for a deep run while avoiding the early Swiss Stage gauntlet.
Should Fnatic triumph in Toronto, they will set a new record for the most international wins in VCT history, further solidifying their legacy as one of VALORANT’s most accomplished teams. Whether they achieve that or not, Boaster’s words remind fans and players alike that at the heart of every title run lies the joy of the game itself.
Fans can catch the action live on the official VCT Twitch and YouTube channels, where every match leading to the playoffs will be streamed daily at 5 PM BST.
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