'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
According to a report by Sports Business Journal (SBJ), the Seattle-based organization Evil Geniuses' owners are desperately trying to sell them off "either in whole or in parts". The report also mentions that industry insiders state the company plans to exit the esports scene entirely by the end of 2023.
Evil Geniuses was established in 1999 and currently has rosters in popular titles such as Valorant, League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, and Dota 2. The news regarding the company's exit surfaced specifically with respect to the LoL team, which has been confirmed to have left the LCS 2024 circuit.
Although SBJ didn't mention the fate of the Valorant, CS, or Dota 2 rosters specifically, complete disbandment would mean these teams would be left org-less.
The fate of Evil Geniuses Valorant, CS, and Dota 2 rosters hang by the head as org seeks to exit the esports scene
The SBJ report that surfaced recently suggests that Peak6, the owner of EG, has been trying to sell off its esports division for a while but has been unsuccessful so far. While the reasons behind this move are still unclear, the org's exit seems inevitable.
Evil Geniuses' 2023 season brought in mixed results. EG Valorant won Champions 2023 and has been nominated for the Esports Team of the Year award at the Game Awards 2023. One of their players, Max "Demon1" Mazanov, also bagged a nomination in the Esports Player of the Year category.
The Evil Geniuses Counter-strike team is currently ranked number 37 in the world. Their Dota 2 team participated from the South American region and finished in the 13th-16th position at this year's The International.
Evil Geniuses is one of the biggest and oldest names in the industry, and they claim to represent a diverse fanbase and have always come forward with their commitment to inclusivity. Data on their website suggests they have more than 14 million followers worldwide. Of these, 17% identify as LGBTQ+, 36% are women, and 46% are people of color.
This is a developing story, and fans from across the world have their eyes on the company to see how the future pans out for each of the rosters under the EG banner.
