Evil Geniuses’ Star Ethan might leave org

The 2023-24 VCT off-season has seen high-profile teams making some huge changes to their lineups. While Cloud9 and T1 have already announced their rosters or are finalizing deals with players, some teams have been relatively quiet this off-season so far, including 100 Thieves, EG and NRG Esports. All three squads either have open spots on their roster that have yet to be filled or are expected to move on from their current players.

One of the players potentially leaving Evil Geniuses is Ethan ‘Ethan’ Arnold, who recently dropped a hint on social media that he has escaped “contract jail” with the team, potentially giving him a path to joining other prominent organizations.

“Contract jail” refers to a situation where a player is unable to leave their current team due to contractual obligations. This means that the player is effectively stuck with their current team, even if they wish to leave or join another team.

Evil Geniuses is known for having strict contracts that often result in players being stuck in “contract jail.” This approach is in contrast to other organizations that may have more flexible contracts that allow players to leave or join other teams more easily.

Ethan hints at his next  move

Ethan Arnold, a well-known VALORANT player for Evil Geniuses, has posted a video on X (Twitter) that seems to imply that he has escaped the organization’s “contract jail” and is set to sign with a new team. The video shows three people in orange prison jumpsuits hopping a fence, which is believed to represent his departure from EG.

While Ethan’s next destination has not been confirmed, rumors suggest that he may be joining NRG Esports. Ethan previously played with the organization while competing in Counter-Strike and for a short time in VALORANT. NRG Esports currently only has two players under contract and has yet to hint at who will be joining them for the next season. The organization is rumored to be adding current free agent Jimmy ‘Marved’ Nguyen and  Max ‘Demon1’ Mazanov.

The two acquisitions from Evil Geniuses would be a major boon to NRG, as it would add two more international trophy-winning players to a roster that is already considered to be talented.

Leaving Evil Geniuses’ VALORANT team can have both positive and negative implications for a player’s career. On one hand, leaving the team may allow the player to join a new team with better opportunities and a more favorable contract. On the other hand, leaving the team may result also in fewer opportunities in the future.

 

covercredit: Riot Games | Colin Young-Wolff, Ethan at the VCT 2023 LOCKIN São Paulo