Three Esports Organizations Part Ways with VALORANT Game Changers Rosters
In the last week, three well-known esports organizations have bid farewell to their VALORANT Game Changers rosters following the group stage of the EMEA Series Two event. However, the issue at hand goes beyond their tournament performance.
Ninjas in Pyjamas, Alliance, and EXCEL have all released their entire VALORANT Game Changers divisions within a week of the conclusion of the current EMEA group stage. These three organizations are now completely out of VALORANT, having also parted ways with their men’s rosters in the past year.
Related: Gen.G CEO predicts that some of esports’ biggest organizations won’t survive the “esports winter”
According to Alliance co-owner and CSO Kelly Ong’s farewell statement, the organization was unable to achieve all its goals in Game Changers, citing instability as the reason for stepping back and re-evaluating their involvement in the competition. In response to NiP’s departure, Erik Wendel, the esports director of the organization, expressed disappointment and stated that the “esports winter” shows no signs of relenting.
Discussions about the “esports winter” have been circulating within the industry for the past year as leagues, companies, organizers, and teams battle to maintain profitability. VALORANT teams outside of the partnered organizations have also struggled in the tier-two realm.
Several factors contribute to the challenges faced by non-partnered teams, including a condensed schedule with significant gaps between events, lower viewership, and limited sponsorship opportunities. The schedule itself is demanding, with teams that don’t qualify for Challengers leagues or Game Changers series being left out for most of the year.
Related: Tier two VALORANT possesses the passion and talent for a promising future, if Riot provides support to help it survive
The future of tier-one VALORANT is undoubtedly exciting, but a crumbling foundation means fewer talents sustaining it. If Riot hopes to see the best Game Changers players transition to the VCT, the departure of organizations is not a positive sign.