ESL on Saturday announced that its partnership with Evil Geniuses – the professional Counter-Strike 2 –will be terminated after the two parties mutually agreed to end the EG’s participation in the Louvre Agreement, effective January 1st.
This announcement comes amid recent news of Evil Geniuses winding down its operations in Counter-Strike and esports at large, including the sale of their BLAST partner slot to Cloud9 for a reported $900,000.
Joining the Louvre Agreement in February 2020 as one of the original thirteen partners, Evil Geniuses participated in the revenue-sharing and preferential treatment system for ESL’s circuit. Throughout their time in the agreement, especially post-COVID-19 when offline play resumed, the Seattle-based organization faced criticism for poor performance, finishing last in four seasons and failing to make playoffs.
The decision to withdraw from Counter-Strike and other titles, influenced by subpar results, mismanagement culture, and the broader challenges of the “esports winter,” aligns with Evil Geniuses’ recent departure from several players. The remaining players reportedly have plans for the post-EG future.
While the move was anticipated, it was expected that Evil Geniuses might attempt to sell the asset, which has not materialized. ESL has announced that, as the spot remains unsold, it will become another World Ranking invite. According to current standings in the ESL World Ranking, the spot is likely to go to Eternal Fire when invites are sent out on January 8th.
