NRG Removes Demon1 from Starting Roster, FNS and s0m to Return
In a surprising turn of events, Max “Demon1” Mazanov, the reigning VALORANT world champion and duelist superstar, is reportedly being removed from the starting roster of NRG. Instead, former players Pujan “FNS” Mehta and Sam “s0m” Oh are set to make their return to the team.
According to VALORANT reporter Alejandro “Anonimotum” Gomis, Demon1 will no longer compete with the organization’s main roster and will be moved to the substitute role. Meanwhile, FNS and s0m, who left NRG last year following the 2023 campaign, will reportedly rejoin the team and immediately enter the starting lineup. This move could potentially serve as a transitional phase for Demon1 as NRG begins considering transfer offers.
This surprising move comes in light of the below-expectations performance from both Demon1 and NRG during the first half of the 2024 season. The team has struggled with Ethan in the in-game leader role, narrowly missing out on qualifying for Masters Madrid during Kickoff and finishing at the bottom of their group in stage one, which resulted in them missing Masters Shanghai.
Prior to Demon1’s removal, NRG had already made the decision to bench controller player Jimmy “Marved” Nguyen between stages. With Marved and Demon1 out of the starting lineup, the revised NRG roster is expected to feature s0m on controller, FNS returning to the in-game leader role, Ethan reverting to the flex role, and Victor re-emerging as the primary duelist.
Although neither NRG nor the players themselves have directly confirmed these reported changes, if true, this roster shakeup is bound to have a significant impact on the VCT landscape and significantly alter NRG’s expectations for the remainder of the season. Fans are eagerly waiting for NRG’s return to the VCT Americas stage for the crucial stage two, where they will face off against Sentinels on June 22.