Max "Demon1" Mazanov, a renowned Valorant player from the NRG team, was recently benched, causing significant uproar within the esports community. Less than a year ago, the player had hoisted the World Champion trophy (Valorant Champions 2023) and was named the best player of that tournament. In this article, we will look at the reasons behind such a sensational decision.
Reason
The primary reason for the lineup change is that NRG failed to achieve expected results. Despite a 3/3 score, which was shared by three teams in Group Alpha at the VALORANT Champions Tour 2024: Americas Stage 1, NRG finished last due to round difference, missing out on the VALORANT Champions Tour 2024: Masters Shanghai. This was a second shock for the team, as such an experienced and star-studded roster missed two Masters series tournaments in a row and is at risk of not qualifying for Valorant Champions 2024.
Why Demon1 Specifically?
It's worth noting that not only Max "Demon1" Mazanov left the main lineup, but Jimmy "Marved" Nguyen did as well; however, the former was benched, while the latter parted ways with the organization.
Demon1, despite his status as a world champion and his impressive performances with Evil Geniuses, was unable to demonstrate the same level of play at NRG. This forced the team to look for new approaches and make changes to remain competitive in the rapidly changing environment of Valorant.
It's important not to think that the fault lies solely with the player, as he played a different role in NRG compared to when he was with Evil Geniuses. Considering that he had less than six months to retrain for his new role, he could not deliver the same results he did for his previous team.
Given the above, it can be concluded that the greater blame lies with the club's staff and the coach, who placed such a high-class and experienced player in a role not suited for him. As a result, the player began to show worse results and could not demonstrate all his abilities. Subsequently, he was benched without being given enough time to adapt to new duties on the field.
Basis for the Decision
The decision to change the lineup of NRG's Valorant team did not come out of nowhere. The team was under pressure due to expectations from fans and management. Starting the season with high hopes and a star-studded lineup of experienced players, including a world champion, NRG faced serious challenges when their results did not meet their ambitions, leading to a drastic decision.
Return of Former Players
To increase the chances of success at what might be the last tournament for the American team NRG in 2024 - VALORANT Champions Tour 2024: Americas Stage 2 - the team decided to bring back experienced players Pujan "FNS" Mehta and Sam "s0m" Oh. They had previously played for the team and had some success, which inspired the management to take this step. However, there is a significant downside, as after the players left NRG last time, they had no professional scene experience and focused solely on their personal streams, where they grinded the ranked mode.
Implications and Prospects
For Demon1
Being benched can be both a challenge and an opportunity for the player. Demon1 has a chance and the time to refine his skills and prove his worth, which could ultimately lead to him being reinstated to NRG's main lineup or getting the opportunity to represent another tag after this season ends. It is unlikely that any team will be ready for such serious roster changes and buy out his contract by the end of the season.
For NRG
Changes in the lineup are quite risky, especially before VALORANT Champions Tour 2024: Americas Stage 2, the most important tournament for NRG. At this tournament, three spots for Valorant Champions 2024, the most prestigious tournament in Valorant that occurs once a year and features only the best teams from four regions, will be contested. The return of FNS and s0m could elevate the level of play and improve results in upcoming tournaments, as these guys have already played in the team and have a well-established contact with the coach. Therefore, there is a high probability that the results will improve.
Future of Demon1
For now, Demon1 will be considered the sixth player for NRG, and judging from his personal streams, he is not very disappointed with this turn of events. Almost daily, he streams for several hours on his personal channel, maintains his form, improves his skills, and grinds the ranked mode. Perhaps in the future, we will see him back in the ranks of NRG, or his future may be associated with another team. But only time will tell.
Thus, NRG's decision to change its lineup, including benching Demon1, is part of the team's strategy to achieve better results in the future and remain competitive on the global Valorant scene. These changes reflect the complexity and dynamism of the esports landscape, where success depends on the ability to adapt and continually improve.
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