Fnatic has always stood at the top of APAC-N in competitive Apex Legends. The Japanese powerhouses consistently perform domestically and internationally, including a fourth-place finish at the 2022 Championship, first place in 2023’s Split One Pro League, and eighth place in the recent Split One London Playoffs. Throughout all tournaments, Fnatic have never been outplaced by another APAC-N team, finding growth throughout their two years together.
But after their worst international performance to date, Fnatic has made its first roster change. On Feb. 13, Keita “MatsuTasu” Matsuura announced that he’s stepping down from Fnatic’s starting roster. Although he has not left the organization, MatsuTasu is free to explore future options, such as joining Kei “SPYGEA” Takahasi as Fnatic’s second Japanese streamer for Apex.
MatsuTasu went into further detail on his Twitch stream surrounding the decision. Multiple factors including stage nerves and not playing as well as he did in past tournaments contributed to his mental state, influencing his ability to help make decisive callouts and contribute to Fnatic’s playoff run. Specific details included crucial botched fights and late rotation calls, such as game eight’s Valkyrie ultimate into eventual champions TSM, who already claimed the position first. MatsuTasu closed his stream by expressing his continued support for his teammates and Kamaneko, Fnatic’s coach, and said there is no hostility or drama with the decision.
MatsuTasu first entered competitive Apex on Jan. 29, 2021, on Connect Gaming, securing sixth place in the 2021 Winter Circuit ALGS Playoffs. He then joined GameWith on Dec. 28, supported by Yuga “YukaF” Horie, Takamasa “Meltstera” Kawai, and coach Kamaneko. The roster famously broke out as APAC-N’s second-place team for the 2022 ALGS, qualifying for the Championship with 215 circuit points for a tenth-place global finish. GameWith later released the team as free agents before Fnatic signed them for the Championship, beginning their legacy with a fourth-place finish.
Fnatic currently does not have any substitute players to fill MatsuTasu’s role in the team following the announcement. The start date for Split Two of the 2023 ALGS has not yet been announced, but following past years of Split Two starting in March, Fnatic should have more than a month to find a replacement for its roster.
Fans will be able to watch the APAC-N Pro League on YouTube and Twitch to see what Fnatic’s future is without MatsuTasu.
