ALGS bans ImperialHal’s controller for Year 5 Championship

Staff Falcons participant Phillip ‘ImperialHal‘ Dosen has shared that his go-to controller has been banned forward of the Apex Legends International Sequence (ALGS) 12 months 5 Championship.

ALGS organisers handed the choice a day earlier than the world championship occasion takes place in Japan, which the participant referred to as ‘a joke’.

In a submit on social media, ImperialHal wrote: “My controller will get banned the day earlier than $2m match. Gotta be a joke certainly.”

As of writing, there isn’t a public announcement from EA or Respawn Leisure surrounding the controller ban.

ImperialHal confirmed in a response on-line that the system in query belonged to ZD Gaming. He additionally shared that the primary level of concern was its wi-fi performance, which will be altered at any level by a cellular app, as showcased in a previous livestream. Moreover, he added that the controller possessed different ‘macro stuff’ that can’t be disabled.

The participant went on to argue that different huge tournaments, such because the Esports World Cup, allowed a number of gamers to make use of controllers with related capabilities. Moreover, ImperialHal additionally states that the ZD controller was allowed in previous ALGS occasions.

ImperialHal’s controller ban comes simply earlier than the ALGS Championship takes place in Sapporo, Japan, on January fifteenth, with $2m in prize pool funds on the road. Because of this, the Staff Falcons consultant can have restricted time to search out another.

The 2026 ALGS Championship is the ultimate cross-regional occasion that concludes 12 months 5 of Apex Legends esports. Headlined by Japanese rapper Reo ‘OZWorld‘ Okuma and the brand new anthem STIM UP within the opening ceremony, the match will run from January fifteenth to 18th, 2026.

The highest 40 certified groups from ALGS 12 months 5, together with Staff Falcons, Alliance, Shopify Riot and extra, will play by a number of phases to safe a spot within the Finals and be topped this season’s champion.

Digital Arts has additionally shared different essential particulars forward of the ALGS Championship, together with map pool modifications, unlockable in-game rewards by Twitch Drops, and extra.