Lorenof will step in as Aurora’s midlaner for FISSURE Universe Episode 8 while Mikoto focuses on visa applications.
Aurora Gaming has confirmed its participation in the upcoming Play-In rounds of FISSURE Universe Episode 8; however, the team will not be fielding its full roster. Aurora announced that its midlaner, 
Rafli Fathur “Mikoto” Rahman, will be absent for the event as he handles visa applications for future tournaments–likely including ESL One Birmingham.
Stepping in for Mikoto will be a familiar face. Ukrainian player 
Artem “Lorenof” Melnick, who briefly played as Aurora’s midlaner in 2024, will return to the roster as a stand-in. He will compete in Mikoto’s place throughout the Play-In stage of FISSURE Universe Episode 8 as the team battles for a spot in the main event.
Aurora Gaming set for FISSURE Universe Episode 8 Play-In
From 21 to 28 January, Aurora will compete in the Play-In stage against formidable opponents such as 
Virtus.pro, 
Nigma Galaxy, and 
1w Team. The extensive qualifier will see the top two teams advance to the main event, joining six directly invited teams.
The main event of FISSURE Universe Episode 8 will take place from 29 January to 1 February, marking the first Tier 1 tournament of 2026. The event features high-profile teams including 
Team Spirit, 
Team Yandex, and 
MOUZ–each of which notably dominated end-of-year tournaments in 2025.
FISSURE Universe Eps 8 hosts a US$250,000 prize pool and a double-elimination Playoffs format, with the champion taking home US$125,000. While smaller in scale compared to upcoming major events such as BLAST Slam VI (starting February 3) and DreamLeague Season 28 (starting February 16), this eighth FISSURE episode will serve as an early indicator of how the season may unfold. Fans can expect to see a settled new meta following Patch 7.40, along with refined strategies after the holiday break.
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