HEROIC have made the surprising decision to bench head coach Joonas "doto" Forss, bringing an abrupt end to the 30-year-old Finn's brief stint with the organization.
The coaching change comes as a shock given doto's impressive track record since taking the reins from Tobias "TOBIZ" Theo back in July. During his tenure, he guided the squad to championship victories at Stake Ranked Episode 3 and Stake Pulse Beat II, while also successfully navigating the qualification process for IEM Beijing. This marked his debut as a tier-one coach following previous stints with ENCE Prospects and HEROIC Academy.
HEROIC CEO Joachim Harg acknowledged the difficulty of the decision in an official statement, praising doto's achievements including two trophy wins and strong positioning for PGL Singapore Major qualification. Harg emphasized that despite doto being a "genuinely great guy," the organization felt compelled to make what they believe is the right long-term choice for the project.
The coach himself expressed disappointment on social media, highlighting the team's accomplishments and his desire to see the project through to completion. He thanked everyone he worked with at HEROIC and confirmed his intention to pursue new coaching opportunities.
Currently ranked 17th globally in the VRS rankings, HEROIC will next compete at Stake Pulse Beat III from October 12-17. The roster remains unchanged with nilo, susp, Chr1zN, MartinezSa, and Brollan continuing as the five-man lineup.
