The reigning Valorant world champion, Evil Geniuses (EG), has weathered financial storms leading to a downsizing of their esports ventures. However, they maintain their presence in Valorant, though issues like pay cuts resulted in departures from their former roster. Despite these challenges, Evil Geniuses Valorant has now announced its lineup for the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) 2024, showcasing a mix of familiar faces from the pre-franchise era and new additions.
player001 // @jawgemo pic.twitter.com/HERnGaQoLJ
— Evil Geniuses (@EvilGeniuses) January 26, 2024
The New Evil Geniuses Valorant Roster
The revamped Evil Geniuses Valorant roster for VCT 2024 includes some returning members and fresh talents:
- Phat “supamen” Le
- Nicholas “NaturE” Garrison
- Derrek “Derrek” Ha
- Vincent “Apoth” Le
- Alexander “jawgemo” Mor
- Christine “potter” Chi (Head Coach)
Supamen arrives from FaZe Clan, Apoth transitions from the reserve EG roster, and Derrek joins from 100 Thieves. NaturE, formerly with Team SoloMid, recently stood in for 100 Thieves during the Red Bull Home Ground tournament. Jawgemo and Coach Potter are the only returning members from the previous year.
Unique Advantage
2 Wins to Qualify for Masters Madrid: Evil Geniuses Valorant’s title as the previous year’s VCT Champions provides a substantial advantage in the VCT 2024 Kickoff tournaments. According to the VCT 2024 Format, the best-performing team from the previous year enjoys favorable seeding in Group C. In this group, they potentially face teams with comparatively lower performance from the previous year, offering EG a strategic advantage.
The bracket/groups for the upcoming VCT Pacific Kick-Off tournament leaked on the VALORANT Esports site pic.twitter.com/DKAvPgjIes
— Valorant News (@ValorINTEL) January 26, 2024
Given this setup, EG’s path to VCT Masters Madrid is notably streamlined. The format stipulates that teams need to win matches in the group stage and the Semi-Finals of the playoffs to secure a spot at Masters Madrid. In EG’s case, this translates to just two victories – one in the Groups stage and another in the Semi-Finals of the playoffs. The team’s performance in the Finals, while influential for accumulating VCT Points, is not mandatory for securing their place in Masters Madrid.
Key Factors Shaping Evil Geniuses Performance:
- Previous Year’s Performance: Evil Geniuses triumph in the VCT the previous year directly influences their seeding and potential matchups, offering them a more favorable route in the tournament.
- Group C Advantage: EG’s seeding in Group C, coupled with potentially lower-performing opponents from the previous year, enhances their chances of securing the necessary wins in the group stage.
- Qualification Process: The streamlined qualification process, requiring only two wins to advance to Masters Madrid, sets EG apart, offering them a strategic edge over other teams.
Conclusion
While Evil Geniuses Valorant faces challenges stemming from financial constraints and roster changes, their strategic advantage in the VCT 2024 Kickoff tournaments positions them as strong contenders for securing a spot at Masters Madrid. The esports community eagerly awaits how the reigning champions will navigate the competition and defend their title in the evolving landscape of Valorant esports.
