Evil Geniuses have been rapidly leaving every esport that isn’t Valorant, specifically VCT. And, though their departure from BLAST Premier didn’t bode well for their future in Counter-Strike, them leaving the ESL signals that they’re likely leaving the esport entirely.
Between company-wide layoffs, alleged poor working conditions, and a mass exodus from almost every esport they were involved in, it’s been a tough time to be an EG fan. Considering they’ve been one of the most iconic organizations in esports since 1999, seeing them make such a large-scale exit from esports as a whole has been discouraging for long-time supporters of the org.
In a matter of months, Evil Geniuses have left almost every esport other than Valorant. Considering they just won an international VCT title, that spot and their name still holds a lot of value within the partnership circuit. Outside of that, EG seems uninterested in the prospect of continuing their esports operations.
Though Evil Geniuses already left the BLAST Premier circuit, them leaving ESL means they’ve essentially left Counter-Strike as a whole right as Counter-Strike 2 is kicking into gear.
Evil Geniuses departs ESL amid org’s mass esports exodus
Evil Geniuses have technically been in Counter-Strike since 2001, meaning their exit from the scene brings an over 20-year-long run in the esport to an end.
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Back in the glory days of CS 1.6, Evil Geniuses were playing for thousands of dollars rather than millions. It can be humbling to look back on the infancy of esports, when it felt like players were driven by passion over all else.
And, though EG had an unmistakable presence in Counter-Strike’s early days, the NA based organization, like many other teams from the region, always paled in comparison to Europe’s strongest teams. After a series of mediocre finishes domestically, EG has decided to pull out of ESL right after leaving BLAST, and it likely signals their exit from Counter-Strike as a whole.
Effective 1 January 2024, Evil Geniuses and ESL have mutually agreed to end the team’s participation in the Louvre Agreement. The #ESLProLeague Member slot previously held by EG will now be added to the pool available based on the ESL World Ranking, starting with Season 19.
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 22, 2023
While this leaves a slot open for another team to jump in, it leaves a void where one of the esports OG’s used to be represented.
It remains to be seen if Evil Geniuses can find a way to claw their way back into the esports they’ve left over the past few months, or if they’re preparing for a formal exit in the near future.