FalleN departs Imperial

The organization bid farewell to the in-game leader ahead of his reported move to FURIA.

Imperial have announced the departure of Gabriel "⁠FalleN⁠" Toledo from their roster, ending the veteran captain's 17-month-long tenure under the organization's banner.

The official announcement of FalleN's departure from Imperial comes ahead of his reported move to FURIA. Dust2.br previously reported that the AWPer had agreed to join the No.1-ranked Brazilian team, but negotiations for his buyout were still being discussed. On Sunday, GameArena reported that an agreement had been reached, with Marcelo "⁠chelo⁠" Cespedes also set to join FURIA to complete their roster.

FalleN joined Imperial in February 2022, bringing with him the "Last Dance" project that featured two other members of the legendary Luminosity/SK two-time Major-winning core. The team didn't complete the full vision of the project as Epitacio "⁠TACO⁠" de Melo and Marcelo "⁠coldzera⁠" David were absent from the lineup, but the roster itself had flashes of brilliance and amassed considerable viewership for their games.

Notably, FalleN guided the team to a berth at PGL Major Antwerp, making it through the Challengers Stage before narrowly missing out on playoffs with a 2-3 record in the Legends Stage. The team also made it to the Challengers Stage of the IEM Rio Major and attended a wealth of other Big Events including IEM Cologne 2022 and ESL Pro League Season 17, but often exited tournaments early in the group stage.

Their best result came after news of FalleN's possible departure first emerged, with the team making it to the semi-finals at the BLAST Premier Spring Final following wins over Vitality and Complexity before narrowly falling in a three-map series to eventual champions, HEROIC.

"From the moment you joined us, you brought with you the essence of competition, teamwork, camaraderie and the fun of playing with friends and for something you believe in," Imperial said in their statement.

"Our journey by his side was full of unforgettable moments, exciting victories, overcoming adversity, breaking records and we saw the passion of the Brazilian cross borders. Together, we wrote a beautiful story."

FalleN had a similarly heartfelt goodbye, thanking the organization for trusting in the project and Fernando "⁠fer⁠" Alvarenga, without whom he says the project wouldn't exist.

"Words are missing to say how difficult it was to choose to be away from you [Imperial]," FalleN added. "I can easily say that you guys helped me to find myself again - to find my balance, happiness in doing more of what I love. Every point of view of you, every discussion, every victory and defeat, thank you for the opportunity to live and work with you. I will never forget."