European organization G2 Esports is set to remain in the VALORANT scene despite being denied partnership with developers Riot Games for the Americas international league next year, multiple sources have told Dot Esports.
G2 has signed Version1 coach Ian “Immi” Harding to lead the rebuild to compete in the VCT Challengers circuit next year. The Challengers circuit is set to begin prior to the start of the international circuit, with tournaments potentially planned for the end of 2022, according to two sources.
G2 was snubbed a partnership slot for the Americas international league next year following the controversy surrounding former CEO Carlos Rodríguez.
He partied with celebrity Andrew Tate, who has been criticized online for expressing misogynistic views, and then posted the video to his personal Twitter account.
G2, if accepted into the Americas international league, planned to acquire the former XSET roster if they did not acquire a slot into the partnership league, according to The Washington Post.
Rodríguez was later sanctioned by Riot Games in League of Legends after he “engaged in activity detrimental to the best interest of the League and Riot Games,” and was temporarily suspended until Nov. 13, 2022.
Rodríguez later parted ways with G2 and stepped down as the CEO.
But G2 will commit to the Challengers league with a chance to qualify for the partnership league via the Ascension circuit. The tournament format allows top teams from each of the three major regions to qualify for the respective partnership leagues the year following.
