Several organizations leave VALORANT Game Changers scene

In the blink of an eye, the VALORANT Game Changers scene is in a bit of danger, as, in the past few weeks, three major esports organizations decided to drop their entire female VALORANT lineup. It is also worth noting that this follows the teams’ disappointing results in the EMEA Series 2 Group Stage.

Many might point to team performance issues, but the reality is that there are problems that go much deeper and, above all, are more worrying.

Leading organizations leave the Game Changers scene

Organizations such as Alliance, EXCEL Esports, and Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) dropped their VALORANT Game Changers lineup following disappointing results in EMEA Series 2. However, these organizations decided to withdraw from the VALORANT scene altogether, as let’s remember that they shed their male lineup last season.

Kelly Ong, the co-owner of Alliance, said in an official statement when saying goodbye to the GC scene that the organization could not meet the objectives outlined in this division of the women’s VALORANT. In addition, he also assured that they did not maintain adequate “stability” and, therefore, “must take a step back” to “re-evaluate their participation” in the competitive Game Changers scene.

On the other hand, talking about NiP, one of the most important organizations in the esports scene, Erik Wendel, the organization’s Director of Esports, said he was disappointed because he had “high hopes” for his GC team. However, he also stated that “The esports winter is not letting up.”

We had high hopes for the GC circuit and ecosystem, and I’m very disappointed to be pulling out. The esports winter is not letting up, but I hope and believe that our talented roster will find a new home soon.💛 https://t.co/8Pquxzcbs5

— Erik Wendel (@ErikWendel) July 25, 2023

The word that many fear, the “esports winter,” has been a recurring debate in recent times. Both leagues, independent teams, and large organizations are trying to stay afloat and, above all, have profitability that allows them to continue competing. Moreover, if teams competing in the VCT are currently struggling, what can we expect from those in Tier 2?

The Tier 2 scene is in jeopardy

Currently, many situations put the profitability of VALORANT’s Level 2 teams at risk. The Challengers’ season schedule is much shorter than the VCT, and, in addition, they have different months without competition, which is lethal for organizations that want to stay active with their players.

In addition, it is no secret that the level of audience in Level 2 tournaments is much lower, so the opportunities for new sponsors are much smaller. Finally, going back to the calendar, unless one team qualifies for a Challengers league or a Game Changers main event, the rest will be out of action for many months.

As a result, we can say that while the top VALORANT competitive scene, i.e., the VCT, leaves a lot of excitement, the Challengers and Game Changers scenes are currently in jeopardy. In addition, the departure of large organizations from the game proper indicates that being in lower VALORANT divisions is not profitable.

Header: NiP