TSM drops Apex Legends roster despite ALGS Championship performance

Hannah Marie ZT, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 02/02/2026

Despite an impressive performance at the recent ALGS Championship, TSM has officially released its Apex Legends roster. 

What are the possible reasons for releasing a roster that so recently displayed incredible potential, and what does this mean for the wider Apex Legends esports ecosystem?

Roster dropped after winning $80,000 at Championship  

On February 1st, 2026, TSM announced that it was releasing its Apex Legends roster. This announcement came a mere two weeks following the roster’s 7th-place finish at the ALGS Year 5 Championship in Sapporo. 

A 7th-place Match Point Final finish and $80,000 USD of prize money led many to expect that the trio of Ira ‘Dooplex’ Shepherd, Rigoberto ‘Gent’ Padilla, and Nathaniel ‘Panic’ Arthur would be secure in their signing. 

Furthermore, the roster was repeatedly praised for its overall performance throughout the tournament. 

In particular, young Apex Legends pro Panic was highly regarded for his confident, skillful, and risk-taking plays with characters such as Alter, executing challenging plays to consistently cause chaos in the game lobby. 

However, the trio was still dropped from the organisation. 

In the post announcing the roster’s departure, TSM noted that they will “look to reacquire an Apex roster closer to the start of the competitive LAN season.” 

It is likely that the players’ contracts expired, and TSM did not offer them the opportunity to re-sign. Nevertheless, given the team’s strong LAN performance, fans remain disappointed that such a high-performing roster is losing its signed status despite its promise. 

This raises many questions regarding how major organisations are approaching Apex Legends Esports. 

Why did TSM drop its Apex Legends roster?

Immediately, speculation has turned to the economic viability of the Apex Legends esports ecosystem. 

For the first time, EA announced its entire Apex Legends competitive calendar for the upcoming year of competition at the Championship. This Year 6 calendar included all LAN locations, a comprehensive timeline, and an increased prize pool. 

Although a marked improvement from the familiar LAN-by-LAN announcements usually seen from EA regarding Apex Legends, the Year 6 calendar does present one issue. 

There is no Apex Legends LAN until the Esports World Cup in July 2026. Therefore, there will be a 170-day gap between LAN tournaments – almost six months.

Even the online Regional Split 1 competition is not due to start until April 2026, several months after the Championship.

Prompted by TSM’s statement that they will be reacquiring a roster when the competitive calendar restarts, Apex Legends esports fans are now questioning whether the organisation is simply cutting the players loose in the off-season to save cash. 

TSM has very notably stripped back its esports division in recent years. Following the departure of the Apex Legends competitive team, there are only three content creators and one professional player signed across the Apex Legends and FGC divisions. 

This is a catastrophic reduction compared to the North American organisation’s historical successes.

Although one of their signed Apex Legends content creators, Sabz, does compete professionally in the EMEA region, the teams she competes on do not represent the organisation.  

Does the decision reflect problematically long breaks in the Apex Legends calendar that discourage teams from holding rosters? Alternatively, does it indicate financial strain within the organisation?

Regardless, TSM’s Apex Legends roster’s departure is widely viewed as a disappointing move. 

Hannah Marie ZT, Senior Editor

Hannah is a journalist specialising in the esports, gaming, and technology sectors. Working for outlets such as Dot Esports, Esports Insider, and of course ENUK, she has developed a love for wider esports, Apex Legends, and advocating for women's esports initiatives. You may have seen her at various esports and gaming events, including ALGS LANs, ESI London, EGX, and watch parties.

All Posts By Hannah Marie ZT