Saudi Arabian esports organisation Twisted Minds has officially exited the Apex Legends competitive scene, parting ways with its North American roster just four months after signing them.

The news was confirmed on 30 August through the team’s social channels, where Twisted Minds thanked Mac Kenzie “Albralelie” Beckwith, Kyle “Crook” Hughes, Alexander “Enemy” Rodriguez, and coach Haris “Hodsic” Hodzic for representing the organisation.

Today we bid farewell to our Apex Legends roster.

Thank you @AlbralelieVT, @crooklul, @Enemy_APEX and @hodsic for representing Twisted Minds 🧠

Wishing you all the best in your next chapter. 🩷#TwistTheGame pic.twitter.com/rrN3bot8V2

— Twisted Minds 🧠 (@TwisMinds) August 30, 2025

From Stallions to Twisted Minds and Back Again

The roster originally competed as Stallions before being picked up for the ALGS Midseason Playoffs, which were part of the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh. Their time under Twisted Minds was short but not without highlights. At the ALGS Open 2025, the team managed a top-six finish on the international stage.

However, their run at the Midseason Playoffs ended in disappointment with a 22nd-place finish. Missing out on crucial Championship Points left Twisted Minds outside contention for the bigger Apex Legends Club Championship prize.

Despite the setback, Twisted Minds as an organisation still secured a strong showing in the wider Club Championship, finishing fourth overall and pocketing $2.25 million USD in prize money.

Now, with the partnership ended, the trio and coach have returned to competing under the Stallions banner, resuming their journey in the ALGS Pro League Split 2 for the Americas. Running until mid-October, the split has 30 teams from North and South America battling it out for a share of the $125,000 USD prize pool and valuable Championship Points.

Community Reactions

The departure has sparked mixed reactions across the competitive Apex community. On Reddit, some fans noted that the pattern of teams signing rosters for the Esports World Cup and then dropping them afterwards has become all too familiar.

“If something doesn’t change in the next year there’s not gonna be any orgs left in the scene,” one fan commented. Others pointed to EA’s lack of consistent tournament support and the heavy reliance on EWC partnerships as the main reasons why major organisations are struggling to commit long-term.

Still, for players like Albralelie and his teammates, the focus remains on climbing the standings. Stallions currently sit in 16th place with 3,072 points, putting them within the top 24 cutoff that could secure them a spot at the ALGS 2026 Championship in Sapporo, Japan.

What It Means for Apex Esports

Twisted Minds leaving Apex Legends may not come as a total shock, but it highlights the fragile state of the esport. Many top teams only seem to join the competitive scene when Esports World Cup opportunities are on the table, and leave once the event is over.

As the competitive year pushes forward, all eyes will be on Stallions to see if they can make a strong comeback and qualify for the season-ending Championship. For Apex fans, the hope remains that the scene finds more stability before more organisations follow suit.

The post Twisted Minds Parts Ways with Apex Legends Roster After ALGS Midseason appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The 2025 Esports World Cup has been full of big moments across different games, but one of the standout stories came from CROSSFIRE, which made its debut at the event in Riyadh. After five days of intense FPS action, China’s AG.AL rose above the rest to claim the very first CROSSFIRE trophy on the EWC stage, and their second overall title at this year’s tournament.

The one team that Rose Above the rest 🏆@AGGlobalEsports are your CROSSFIRE at EWC 25 Champions! pic.twitter.com/yPXWsStiBZ

— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) August 23, 2025

The favourites deliver

Coming into the competition, AG.AL were already tipped as favourites. They cruised through the group stage, sweeping Virtus.pro 2-0 before edging out Stallions 2-1 to lock in their playoff spot. Things got shaky in the quarterfinals against fellow Chinese side KINGZERO-eSports, who opened with a crushing 10-1 win. Just when it looked like AG.AL’s run might be cut short, Zhang “ZY” Ye rallied the team, flipping the script and sealing a 2-1 comeback with a 10-1 map of their own.

From there, momentum was firmly in their hands. AG.AL took down Evolution Power 2-0 in the semis, while Baisha Gaming knocked out the young Filipino squad Stallions, setting up a blockbuster all-Chinese grand final.

A historic rivalry on the world stage

Fans couldn’t have asked for a better final: AG.AL versus Baisha Gaming, two long-time rivals in the Chinese CROSSFIRE scene. Baisha struck first in dominant fashion with a 10-1 win, but AG.AL kept their cool. They hit back with back-to-back 10-4 victories to reach match point. Baisha clawed it back to force a decider, but AG.AL sealed the deal 10-3 on Port to lift the trophy.

What a dominant run through this tournament!

Congratulations @AGGlobalEsports on your CROSSFIRE at EWC 25 pic.twitter.com/czFkj0NWvm

— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) August 23, 2025

It was another reminder of just how deep CROSSFIRE talent runs in China, as all three podium spots ended up going to Chinese teams. Evolution Power fought off Stallions in a nail-biting third-place match, pulling off an overtime comeback in the opener before closing the series 2-0.

Doo takes MVP honours

AG.AL’s Meng “Doo” Kun was awarded the SONY MVP for his incredible consistency throughout the tournament. His clutch performances in the final, in particular, earned him the extra $10,000 prize and the MVP trophy.

Image Credit: Esports World Cup

CROSSFIRE makes its mark

This win also adds to AG.AL’s EWC legacy, after their earlier gold in KWC pushed them past Gen.G into sixth place in the overall Club Championship standings. Beyond the results, though, CROSSFIRE’s first appearance at the Esports World Cup felt significant.

Smilegate has been running CROSSFIRE Stars for over a decade, but bringing the game to the EWC spotlight underlined its status as a global esport. With fresh young teams like Stallions showing promise and Chinese squads proving their dominance, the tournament highlighted a generational shift and set the stage for an even bigger future.

There’s even talk that CROSSFIRE could feature in future multi-sport events like the Asian Games, especially given the game’s proven track record in both domestic and international circuits. And with the CFS Grand Final later this year, the EWC debut feels like the perfect lead-in to CROSSFIRE’s next big chapter.

Looking ahead

From a competitive point of view, CROSSFIRE’s debut at the Esports World Cup couldn’t have gone much better. AG.AL stamped their name in history as the first champions, Baisha and Evolution Power kept the Chinese rivalry alive, and Stallions showed the potential of a new generation coming through.

If this event is anything to go by, CROSSFIRE has found a new global stage, and it’s only just getting started.

The post AG.AL Crowned First CROSSFIRE Champions at the 2025 Esports World Cup appeared first on Shane the Gamer.