Evil Geniuses has reached a verbal agreement with several players to join a heavily overhauled VCT roster for the 2024 Valorant season.
The 2023 world championship organization is rebuilding its Valorant roster and it might have found the pieces it needed. After its victory at Valorant Champions 2023, reports started surfacing about major issues within Evil Geniuses. According to multiple reports, Evil Geniuses locked its players and coaches in “contract jail,” forcing them into being shelved, taking a pay cut, or risking free agency.
Four out of five players joined other organizations in VCT Americas, while one will return. Sheep Esports reported a new lineup of players helmed by Alexander “jawgemo” Mor, the sole returning player from the 2023 championship team.
Evil Geniuses has a new roster that includes two returning players surrounded by notable North American free agents.
The 2024 Evil Geniuses roster will reportedly include:
Derrek and NaturE are both former 100 Thieves players, who join after the team acquired Kelden “Boostio” Pupello from Evil Geniuses. Supamen has been inactive since he parted ways with FaZe Clan. Apotheon rejoins the active roster after being benched by Evil Geniuses in 2022.
It is unclear if Christine “potter” Chi will remain with Evil Geniuses in 2024.
Though she was on the sidelines during matches, potter was hailed as a key figure in Evil Geniuses’ success in 2023. According to the Global Contract Database, potter’s contract with Evil Geniuses expired in early 2024.
potter was named the Best Esports Coach at The Game Awards 2023. Despite her success and the boost to her profile after the championship, her fate remains unclear. She is yet to comment on her plans for the future on social media.
Evil Geniuses is positioned to remain in VCT competition through the end of the 2024 season.
The organization is one of North America’s most iconic brands but has been heavily criticized over the last year for multiple controversies and internal dealings of the organization that were made public. Multiple outlets and independent reporters have reported on the mistreatment of players and staff and actively harming peoples’ careers. Evil Geniuses exited most of the esports titles where it participated, except for Valorant.
The organization vacated its LCS franchise in League of Legends before the 2024 season and dropped its Dota 2 roster after 12 years of competing in the game at a top level. Its CEO also departed the company in 2023. The outward struggles and reports of internal strife have had many questioning on social media why and how Evil Geniuses can return to VCT competition in 2024.
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