With just a couple of weeks to go until The International 2019, we receive news that Forward Gaming will cease to exist. This comes less than two weeks after Forward Gaming won the North American Regional Qualifiers for The International 2019.

Find out the latest on this unexpected news story, including what this will mean for the ex-Forward Gaming roster below.

Financial Problems

The announcement that Forward Gaming will cease to exist came on July 21. Forward Gaming’s CEO, David Dashtoyan, cited financial difficulties as the reason behind the club’s closure.

The result of this closure is that all contracts have been canceled and all players have become free agents. This is obviously a disaster, with the International only a few weeks away. Even worse than this is the news that player salaries for the month of July cannot be covered. Included in this is the player’s share of the $36,000 USD prize money won by the team.

The closure is effective immediately, as of the date of the announcement. Dashtoyan had hoped that income in the run-up to TI would be enough to keep the team afloat. However, this was not to be.

In his message on the team’s website, Dashtoyan appears full of regret. He is quoted as saying “I feel terrible for leaving our guys at the worst moment possible.” But what does this mean for the future of the team and the players?

The Future of Forward Gaming

While Forward Gaming will cease to exist, the players will still compete in The International, albeit under a different organization. For a time, the five-man roster of Yawar ”YawaR” Hassan, Quinn ”CCnC” Callahan, Jingjun ”Sneyking” Wu, Arif “MSS-” Anwar and Johan “pieliedie” Åström were without representation at TI. However, new life has been breathed into the squad as professional esports organization Newbee swoops in to save the day.

Announcement🎙 Acquisition of former Forward Gaming Lineup Welcome to Newbee: 🇵🇰 Yawar ”YawaR” Hassan

🇺🇸 Quinn ”CCnC” Callahan

🇺🇸 Jingjun ”Sneyking” Wu

🇺🇸 Arif “MSS-” Anwar

🇸🇪 Johan “pieliedie” Åström Coach: 🇨🇦 Kurtis ”Aui_2000” Ling

Manager: 🇺🇸 Jack ”KBBQ” Chen — Newbee (@newbeecn) July 25, 2019

For fans of the former Forward Gaming roster, this news comes as a welcome relief. It’s easy to imagine the same is true of the players. Newbee gives them a strong foundation from which to give TI their all.

In what is likely to be an uncertain time for these talented players, we wish them every success at TI.

Final Thoughts

The uncertainty that follows such a major announcement is bound to impact any professional player. The news that Forward Gaming will cease to exist was heart-breaking for players and fans alike. However, in the wake of Newbee’s announcement, we hope that all involved can approach TI worry-free.

Are you happy with the organization that has acquired Forward Gaming’s roster? What are your hopes for the future of the team? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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