Evil Geniuses has nearly completed its ambitious 10-man VALORANT roster project ahead of the start of the 2023 VALORANT Champions Tour season, with only one spot left to fill.
The organization announced the signing of Kyle “ScrewFace” Jensen, formerly of DarkZero Esports, today. This brings the total number of players signed to the EG main VALORANT roster to nine, with almost all of them signed through the 2024 season, according to the global contract database.
After acquiring partnership and joining the VCT Americas league this past fall, EG revealed the first step of its plan back in November, signing former NRG player Ethan Arnold and former XSET player Brendan “BcJ” Jensen to the roster, with the goal in mind of fielding a 10-player team. The two newly signed players joined the starting roster from 2022: Kelden “Boostio” Pupello, Jeffrey “Reformed” Lu, Alexander “jawgemo” Mor, Corbin “C0M” Lee, and Vincent “Apotheon” Le.
Less than a week prior to ScrewFace’s signing, the organization also brought in a young potential rising star in Max “Demon1” Mazanov.
ScrewFace had previously spent over a year with DarkZero after signing with the rest of the Kooky Koalas roster in June 2021. But after a year of competing in North America with little to no success in NA VCT play, the organization departed VALORANT in the summer of 2022.
EG’s approach to VALORANT similarly follows its approach to Counter-Strike, in which the organization signed two previously orgless NA CS:GO teams to complete a 15-man roster project, with plans to shuffle players around and compete across multiple tournaments with its main roster and two “academy” lineups.
But since academy rosters are not allowed for partnered teams, the VALORANT 10-man roster will have to take a different approach. It remains to be seen whether that’s strictly in-house scrims, use of a fluid roster to catch opponents off guard, or simply hoarding talent to try and sell to other teams midseason.
EG still has to sign its 10th man as well.
