I still remember that day... January 31, 2022. The air was crisp, and my phone buzzed with a notification from Twitter. Nova Esports had just announced their new Call of Duty Mobile roster. I chuckled as I read the caption: “New players, new targets 🎯”. Boy, did they deliver.

The roster was a complete overhaul. Only Geneil Rae “Neil” Dacanay survived the culling from the previous squad. The rest were fresh faces, hungry for glory. Let me introduce them: Jonathan “Yahya” Koyenyi, the new captain, a steady hand. Samuel “SaTuRnZz”, Ikraam “Inferno” Shah – the fiery one –, Serhat “Creed” Atilla, and Petr “Spy”. Alongside them stood Anissa, the manager, the glue holding the pieces together. I stared at the graphic for a long time, wondering if this mix could ever live up to the Nova name.

Nova had only dipped its toes into COD Mobile a year earlier, but what a splash they’d made. Champions of COD Mobile Masters 2021 Europe in July – the only major trophy in their cabinet at that time. Yet, the World Championship left a bitter taste: 9th place in the West Finals. Three players walked away, leaving Nova scrambling to fill the void. The organization didn’t panic; they took their time, scouting talent like a hawk.

When the new lineup finally dropped, I thought to myself, “This is either going to be a masterpiece or a disaster.” The pressure was immense. Carrying the banner of a Hong Kong-based giant founded in 2016 – a team that had already conquered Peacekeeper Elite, PUBG Mobile, Wild Rift, Clash Royale, and Brawl Stars – wasn’t for the faint-hearted. Nova was known for being internationally diverse, a tapestry of cultures, and this squad was no exception.

The 2022 season kicked off, and honestly... it wasn’t love at first sight. They stumbled in scrims, the synergy looked off. We, the fans, held our breaths. Some even called for roster changes... again. But the management stuck to their guns, and Yahya, the captain, was patient. I recall watching a stream where he calmly said, “Trust the process.” And slowly, the gears began to mesh. Inferno’s aggressive pushes, Creed’s clutches, SaTuRnZz’s objective control, Spy’s map awareness – Neil anchored it all like a veteran.

By mid-2022, the team hit its stride. They clinched the CODM Europe Regional and booked a ticket to the World Championship. I won’t lie – when they reached the grand finals, I was a bundle of nerves. But that day, the boys lifted the trophy. The whole scene erupted. The “new players, new targets” tweet from January was quoted endlessly; it had become a prophecy. The gamble paid off, and then some.

Looking back from 2026, Nova’s COD Mobile roster has evolved, but the 2022 rebuild remains the turning point. Yahya retired in 2024 to pursue coaching, SaTuRnZz is still the main slayer, and the others have moved on to different titles or content creation. The organization itself has grown – now a dominant force in mobile esports with academies across three continents. Every time I see a new recruit donning the Nova jersey, I think of that winter morning when six strangers decided to chase a common dream. They didn’t just reach their target; they changed the game.

That’s the beauty of esports, isn’t it? A tweet, a roster, and a whole lot of heart. #NOVASTRONG, forever.