Max "Demon1" Mazanov and Ethan "Ethan" Arnold have officially joined NRG's Valorant roster for VCT Americas 2024. The move came after their departure from Evil Geniuses, which Demon1 described as escaping the organization's "absurd contract jail."
For Ethan, this signing marks his third time with NRG. He had previously played for the team in both Counter-Strike and Valorant. Former teammates Corbin "C0M" Lee and Alexander "jawgemo" Mor congratulated Ethan on the transfer, saying they would miss playing alongside the seasoned player.
"Holy shit I'm free," wrote Demon1 on X last Friday. Ethan had made a similar statement a week prior.
The competitive history between NRG and EG during the VALORANT Champions Tour 2023 season adds an intriguing backdrop to the move. Throughout the year, both teams were closely matched, dominating the North American majority teams in the Americas region. NRG secured the second spot in league play, with EG close behind in third.
The rivalry continued at Masters Tokyo in the same year, where NRG secured fourth place, while EG advanced to the grand finals but came in second after facing Fnatic. At Champions, NRG faced challenges in the group stage, falling to Bilibili Gaming twice, while EG went on to claim the championship.
Despite NRG's domestic strength and promising performances at various tournaments in 2023, the team recognized the need for changes to contend for the 2024 title. Demon1 and Ethan were regarded as two of the strongest players, making them logical choices. The revamped roster also includes Jimmy "Marved" Nguyen, Victor "Victor" Wong and Austin "Crashies" Roberts.
The new Valorant lineup at NRG is dubbed the "Revenge Tour" team, aiming to build on their domestic strength and tournament experience in the pursuit of success in 2024. Meanwhile, the fate of the remaining Valorant players from EG remains uncertain.
EG's potential disbandment
EG proved in 2023 that North American teams could dominate international Valorant competitions. However, the team's recent struggles and organizational challenges now cast doubt on the future of its Valorant roster.
Back in September, during the VCT 2024 roster shuffle, rumors circulated that EG would cut their players' salaries or release them. Criticism mounted as reports surfaced about players struggling to escape their contractual binds. Notably, EG allegedly turned down lucrative offers for key players like Demon1 and Ethan from NRG, as well as Kelden "Boostio" Pupello from 100 Thieves.
Expressing their discontent, Demon1, Ethan and Boostio aired their frustrations on social media and Twitch streams. EG was later seen practicing without these key players in November.
Rumors suggest that EG might be contemplating a complete exit from esports amid the situation. The esport organization recently announced its withdrawal from ESL's Counter-Strike Louvre Agreement. The decision concluded the team's participation and membership in the CS2 league system.
Starting January 1, EG's spot will become available for another squad. The spot includes a direct invitation to the ESL Pro League and other ESL-sanctioned events, as well as a share in revenue streams.
EG has also been gradually selling its CS2 division. A notable move was the sale of the BLAST Partnership slot to California-based esport company Cloud9. This divestment raises doubts about the future participation of the CS2 team in competitive gaming.
