The Halo Championship Series is once again ablaze with Roster Mania chaos as teams and players prepare for the highly anticipated HCS Salt Lake City 2025 event. From retirements and roster swaps to breakout signings and surprise coaching moves, here’s a roundup of everything you need to know from across the scene.
🔚 Sylvanic Steps Away
Veteran competitor Sylvanic has officially stepped away from competitive Halo due to new job opportunities that prevent weekend availability. In his farewell post, he reflected:
“Not how I wanted my last event to turn out… Halo’s been my life for the last 10 years, so I’m definitely going to miss it.”
🟢 Native Gaming & aPG Part Ways – Then Joins Optic!
Native Gaming has parted ways with long-time competitor aPG, but quickly was signed to Optic Gaming as a content creator. While he won’t be competing on the main stage, fans can still catch aPG’s presence within the scene through his and Maniac’s Famous Watch Parties!
🔴 FaZe Coaching Carousel
FaZe Clan made headlines by bringing in Royal 1 as coach for DreamHack Dallas, where the team finished a strong second. Due to family obligations, Royal 1 was unavailable for SLC, prompting FaZe to bring in KingJay to fill the role through the next major. Falcated and Suppressed were swapped for Lucid and Snakebite, who left Spacestation Gaming looking for greener pastures. Lucid once again reunites with Trippy and Pznguin, who placed very well together the year before.
🇪🇺 Jimbo Transitions to Content – Bastoss Joins Z10
European Halo staple Jimbo is stepping away from Z10’s starting roster to focus on content creation, with aspirations of coaching in the future. Z10 has filled his slot with EU standout Bastoss, solidifying their lineup heading into SLC. Jimbo plans to move to the U.S. and keep his coaching door open.
✍️ OMiT Makes Moves – Adds CommandStation & Debuts OMiT Black
CommandStation joins OMiT as an FFA and side-tournament competitor, with her eyes still set on making it into the main 4v4. Meanwhile, OMiT made waves by signing a potential second roster—OMiT Black, featuring Ezho, IceKid, Morgan, and Lydoe.
Additionally, OMiT officially signed a stacked main lineup:
Spartan, Lethul, Huss, Breakingshot, and Hoaxer as coach.
🧠 Complexity Reloads with RyaNoob & KingNick
After releasing Spartan, Complexity has added seasoned veterans RyaNoob and KingNick to join Mental and Cherished. Early scrim results have been impressive, including a 4-0 sweep against TSM in the LVT Halo Pro League.
🔄 Cloud9 Roster Overhaul
Cloud9 has officially released Sceptify and Lethul, bringing in Kuhlect and Avucy to join Bubu Dubu and Sab for Salt Lake City.
🇦🇺 Barcode Joins Mindfreak
Mindfreak made a major unofficial pickup by signing Barcode, one of ANZ’s top stars. Plasma appears to be out of the active lineup as Mindfreak preps for another ANZ championship run.
From Barcode: “Thankful to Mindfreak for giving me the opportunity to continue competing… excited to reach new heights with the ANZ boys.”
🆕 New Teams, Fresh Faces
- Unreal Nightmare: Common, Envore, Ezho, Haines, with Sunzal coaching
- ETHR: Dropped Leuor, signed Noble
- Team Lethal Fox: Roster includes LethalVixen, DillyDoughnut, StonedJourner, and Emphamy
- HPT x CBDT: Rizznak, Diode, Snaggu, Zarnerz, JKFire (C
- Alpha x Luminon: Leuor, Magico, Rorzch, Strikey
- Luminon Gaming: Netroxen, Saves, Chills ACM, Zoom DR
- Ghostify x Luminon: Ninja Dilly, Dremora, Wuteverduke, LGGY BGGY
- Passion United: Palifus, For Atticus, Maceskii, Bigabalou, Coach Clutch
- IVsaken: Sylvanic(Out of Retirement), Cadendespair, Cruvu, Parabola
- Lies: Will field Ivonized, LeaderNess, Collective, Azencyy, and Zeno as coach
- Caution: Entering with Venom, Ryuu, Lolleyys, President, coached by SunnyDown
- Tenrai: SuperCC, Envore, Luiney, Svspector
- Ascending Baseline: Jimbo, MQSE, Sxptiq, Vauhtimtsu
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TempZ Gaming: Sarex, NuclearBlaze, Bunnies Waddles, Tigger
💡 Believe the Hype Returns
aPG and Maniac brought back the iconic Believe the Hype brand with a massive open tryout system. Over 100 players went through four phases of cuts, ending in a four-team tournament. The final roster includes:
Facty, Cearion, Lol Gatorz, and Gunplexion—all mentored directly by the duo.
As HCS Salt Lake City draws closer, the competition is hotter than ever. With new squads forming, legends retiring, and surprise pickups being made, one thing’s for certain—this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting events of the year.
Let the games begin.