In a shock move, Aussie rifler Tyson "asap" Paterson is in line to join the BC.Game project this week, with the move seeing the squad — featuring superstar Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev — enter the Asia VRS rankings ahead of the PGL Singapore Major.
Sources close to DFRAG can confirm details in a Sept. 22 HLTV report that linked asap with BC.Game, following the departure of Denis "electroNic" Shapirov earlier today.
🚨 electroNic has been moved to the bench.
— BC Game Esports (@BCGameEsports) September 22, 2026
A true professional, on and off the server. He gave everything to this team and we're grateful for all of it.
Thank you, Denis. 💚 #bcgame pic.twitter.com/iw8rR7AKsg
The organisation is yet to make an announcement confirming today's news, with CEO Ali Muhanned's statement to HLTV focusing on the tough decision to cut electroNic as BC.Game tumble down the EU VRS leaderboard.
"As the CEO I must take difficult decisions, and this is a major decision that needs to be done for the project," Muhanned said. "If we had more time for the Major, I would have actually given [electroNic] more time just because the team is new."
BC.Game added Mongolian duo Azbayar "Senzu" Munkhbold and Ayush "mzinho" Batbold in April and July separately, but several missed open qualifier opportunities has evidently left BC.Game no choice but to seek a third Asian player to complete the switch.
That player is asap, who has steadily built himself as a serviceable rifler both at home in the Oceanic region and abroad.
The 23-year-old currently holds a 1.21 HLTV rating on LAN, and was the standout player for THUNDER dOWNUNDER at the IEM Cologne Major, averaging 1.24 including a huge 21-kill performance and an ace in his major debut against MIBR.
If the Singapore Major invite cutoff were today, BC.Game would qualify via Asia VRS — but several events across the region remain ahead of the actual cutoff date of Nov. 1.
BC.Game will have their own events to attend, with HLTV indicating the team has signed up for or qualified to the likes of DracuLAN Season 7 and ROG Journey Autumn.
THUNDER dOWNUNDER missing two as OCE LAN circuit approaches
asap's departure from THUNDER dOWNUNDER leaves the OCE squad needing two players ahead of a spate of LAN events run by DFRAG in Brisbane across October and early November.
Chris "dexter" Nong, Jay "Liazz" Tregilgas, and Tynan "TjP" Purtell are what remains of the TdU project that qualified for the IEM Cologne Major, but with ANZC Locals, Logitech G PRO Series, and the DFRAG Invitational approaching, time is of the essence for the squad regarding replacements.
A limited season of officials — just one LAN at the HyperX Intel Nationals — and the decision to skip several regional qualifiers has left the squad teetering on the edge of missing the Singapore Major.
It was confirmed to DFRAG that a replacement for Alistair "aliStair" Johnston had been found, but it remains to be seen what route TdU will take in regards to replacing asap.
The services of coach Eddie "viridian" Azzi may be required again, with viridian standing-in for several online matches throughout August and September.
For more Asia and OCE CS2 news, stay tuned to DFRAG.gg.
