Özgür “w0xic” Eker is having the tournament of his life. The 27-year-old Turkish AWPer has been the driving force behind Aurora Gaming’s run into the IEM Cologne Major 2026 playoffs, picking apart opponents with the kind of precision that makes highlight reels feel redundant.
Aurora’s path through Stage 3 included a clean 2-0 sweep of Monte on June 11 and a nerve-shredding 2-1 comeback against G2, one of Counter-Strike’s most decorated rosters. For a Serbian org running a predominantly Turkish lineup, reaching the playoff stage of a $1.25 million major in Cologne is a statement performance.
The run through Stage 3
Aurora dropped the first map against G2 and then clawed their way back through two consecutive wins to close it out 2-1. The Monte match was more straightforward — a 2-0 result that Aurora controlled from start to finish. These two victories combined were enough to push the roster into the playoff bracket.
W0xic’s career earnings now exceed $685,000, a figure that reflects years of competing at the highest level of Counter-Strike across multiple organizations. Born on September 2, 1998, he’s been a fixture in professional CS since his teenage years.
