Aurora Gaming was founded in August 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia, by Russian entrepreneur Valerii Kharitonov. Kharitonov, a former professional player, established the organization with the intent of fielding competitive teams across multiple gaming titles. The organization secured early sponsorships, allowing them to rapidly expand their operations and support divisions in games like Dota 2, Apex Legends, and Counter-Strike. The organization operates out of its Belgrade headquarters under the guidance of CEO Adalyat Mamedov.
Entering the Counter-Strike scene
In August 2022, Aurora officially entered the Counter-Strike space by signing a Russian speaking roster. This initial squad featured players such as Evgeniy “Norwi” Ermolin and Viktor “Lack1” Boldyrev. The team achieved a 17 match winning streak between late 2022 and early 2023, consistently maintaining a spot within the top 40 world rankings. While the Russian speaking core secured the organization’s first significant trophy at the Skyesports Masters 2024, taking home $105,000, they struggled to consistently break into the highest tier of international competition.
Acquiring the Turkish core
A massive roster change occurred in April 2025. The organization benched their existing lineup and acquired the all Turkish core previously competing for Eternal Fire. This acquisition immediately propelled Aurora into the top 10 of the world rankings. The Turkish roster brought high firepower and tier one experience, transforming the organization into a legitimate threat for major international trophies.
Major tournament victories
The Turkish lineup secured the most lucrative victory in Aurora’s history at the PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, winning the grand final and claiming $400,000 in prize money. They followed this with strong performances at other top tier events, securing a second place finish at the Esports World Cup 2025 and a third place finish at the IEM Cologne Major in June 2026.
The active roster
In July 2026, Aurora began a revamp of their all-Turkish lineup with the benching of Caner “soulfly” Kesici and in-game leader Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli.
The active roster features:
- Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş
- Ozgur “woxic” Eker
- Ali Haydar “Wicadia” Yalcin
