G2 Esports Top Laner Stepping Down
G2 Esports, currently leading the EU LCS ladder, has announced that top laner Mateusz “Kikis” Szkudlarek will be stepping down from the starting position after almost a year with the team. This decision was confirmed by a statement from the organization.
Kikis’ Contribution to G2 Esports
Kikis joined G2 Esports in July 2015, back when the team was known as Gamers2. He played a key role in helping the Spanish organization qualify for the LCS. In their first season, the 2016 Spring split, G2 finished at the top of the regular season table and emerged victorious in the Spring playoffs against Origen.
A Six-Man Roster
In the Summer split, G2 expanded their roster to include Ki “Expect” Dae-han as a second top laner alongside Kikis. However, this decision did not sit well with Kikis, leading to conflicts with the team.
“After agreeing to a six-man roster for the Summer Split, Kikis tried to force us to choose between him and Expect for the top lane position,” stated the G2 organization. “We opted to honor our agreement with Expect and the team.”
Kikis as Substitute
As a result of the disagreement, Kikis has decided to move himself to a substitute role for the remainder of his contract, which will expire in November. Expect will now become the full-time starting top laner from next week onwards.
Challenges Faced by G2 Esports
Despite their initial success in the Summer split, G2 Esports faced criticism for their poor performance at the Mid Season Invitational. The team had chosen to prioritize their players’ rest instead of practicing for the event.