Vexed has re-entered Apex Legends, signing ‘BOSH’. Matej “MaTaFe” Fekonja, Tyler “Tyler” Wood and Andre “Unlucky” Türk have been one of the most successful teams in EMEA during the off season and have a Pro League invite for year 3.
Vexed, based in the United Kingdom, have been involved in Apex on and off since the games launch. They were a presence in last years Pro League – finishing 16th in split 2.
BOSH are considered to be one of the most exciting teams to emerge since the end of ALGS year 2. They have a deadly combination of experience and flair. As a result, expectations are high for the new Vexed roster moving forward.
Vexed adds controller flair
As Apex Legends develops, controller players are being held in higher and higher regard. Whether it be top pros like ImperialHal swapping to controller, or teams like NRG specifically targeting controller players, the collective wisdom is that having a mix of inputs is a huge advantage at the top level.
The Apex meta has shifted significantly during the off-season towards a very aggressive playstyle, with teams taking a lot more fights than traditional competitive Apex allowed. The more close range fights that take place, the stronger a controller player can be for your team.
Tyler “Tyler” Wood (Photo: Vexed)
In Tyler and Unlucky, Vexed are very much abiding by this collective wisdom. Unlucky is considered to be one of the top controller talents in the world, and Tyler isn’t far behind. Both players also have considerable competitive experience, and are very capable at performing on the big stage. The duo have competed together before, most recently on Muutarium.
However, both players would concede that they need clear direction and leadership to be at their best. Tyler in particular has been very vocal about wanting to step away from any IGLing.
So add in the experienced and quick thinking MaTaFe, and you have a serious combination on your hands.
A team with serious pedigree already
From their first appearance together, the new Vexed roster really hit the ground running. They finished in the top two in their first eight tournaments together and have already built up a winning dynamic.
Critics would argue that they have been mostly playing against tier 2 teams in the majority of these tournaments. When EMEA has such a lack of tournaments, it is hard to really predict how a new roster will fare in the upcoming Pro League.
However, a very strong second place in the Code Red: Army National Guard qualifier has helped to quiet these critics. A multi-regional tournament, the new Vexed roster placed ahead of 100Thieves, NRG and Cloud9.
Notably, Tyler, Unlucky and MaTaFe played this tournament from the Vexed bootcamp. Showing their desire to prepare for LAN situations.
Andre “Unlucky” Türk (Photo: Vexed)
“There is no doubt this roster has some serious potential”
Dan O’Hare, recently appointed Chief Gaming Officer at Vexed pointed towards the firepower that this roster can bring.
“There is no doubt this roster has some serious potential, the mix of firepower and experience really does stand out and makes me excited to see how they perform over the coming season and beyond. Having met the team in person recently, it has only reinforced our stance on the roster and I am incredibly happy and excited to have them aboard Vexed for the foreseeable future and I am looking forward to working with them more.”
One of the concerns for Vexed has to be keeping the team together. While talented, Tyler has become infamous in the Apex scene for frequently moving between rosters. This will be his 12th roster in 2 years. But Dan says that despite their small size, Vexed will do everything it can to support this team moving forward.
“Although we have a traditionally smaller team at Vexed, we do bring a wealth of experience across various titles and spaces both within and outside of Esports, this allows us to tackle any issues that arise. I ensure the guys have almost round the clock access to people should they require it.
We have bootcamps planned and previously we have worked with performance and mental coaches, along with bringing in Esports legends in for talks and to share their experiences, which have always been valuable. Right now, I will be working with the team closely to ensure I can tailor the support that they need as a roster and individuals.”
Weak EMEA tournament scene not a worry for Vexed
Vexed were also not put off by the weakness of the EMEA scene outside of ALGS. Stating that the talent in Europe is simply too good to waste.
“The shallow tournament infrastructure in Apex is always a concern, but it is a scene I don’t think we would like to be absent in currently. There are people making moves to change the scene in Europe and I am hopeful they manage to pull it off. The talent in Europe is too good to waste and people are hungry.
We’ve been in Apex Legends from the start, granted intermittently, and the passion that drives this scene from its players and fans is amazing.”
Dan O’Hare (Photo: Vexed)
Dan O’Hare wouldn’t be drawn on specific aims and expectations for the roster moving forward. But there is clear belief in the potential that Vexed have acquired.
“I’m not the biggest fan of having or stating expectations in terms of results, but I believe these guys will go far, they are extremely talented, have a professional mindset and they are hungry. I’m looking forward to seeing them in Playoffs and beyond that, Vexed plans to do our best to provide the roster with their needs to perform their best and see how far together as a team we can push.”
Vexed signing a serious relief for MaTaFe
Undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary of this signing is MaFaFe. The 27 year old has competed in Apex since the games launch – but has faced more roadblocks than most during his competitive journey.
Hailing from Slovenia, MaTaFe has fought a constant battle not just against his competitors, but against the ALGS rules themselves. Slovenia is not an eligible country in the ALGS, and hasn’t been at all during the games lifespan. Over the years, this has caused MaTaFe significant difficulty. Be it losing his spot on North, to having to move countries just to compete he has had one of the most difficult journeys of any player in Apex.
Even as recently as September, MaTaFe looked set to step away from Apex entirely. Without the backing of an organisation sustaining yourself is difficult. Lots of Apex pros live with their parents if they don’t have a regular salary. It isn’t even reasonable to expect that the strong results of BOSH were bringing in any notable income – the EMEA scene is very light on investment. Only once has BOSH earned more than $360 in a single tournament, and of course this is divided three ways.
Matej “MaTaFe” Fekonja (Photo: Vexed)
But now with the backing of Vexed MaTaFe can focus on what he does best, competing and leading a talented team all the way to the top of the EMEA scene.
MaTaFe: “BOSH has been the best team I have ever played on”
Sharing his delight, MaTaFe added that ““BOSH has been the best team I have ever played on. The teamwork and firepower are unmatched and we are quickly making our way from being a new team to being one of the favorites going into the ALGS Pro League year 3. We are more than happy that an org such as Vexed Gaming has noticed us and are willing to share this path with us. Together we will be at the top of the EU Apex scene!”
The Vexed Apex roster will begin their ALGS Pro League campaign on November 6th.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Apex Legends news and updates.
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