G2 Esports Invitational Valorant event features Ex6tenZ, mixwell

G2 Esports is the latest esports organization to run a Valorant tournament.

The organization known for its top League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive squads is set to host the G2 Esports Invitational. The event is set to feature eight teams led by a number of established esports competitors. 

The action will take play out in a fairly standard system. Things start off with a group stage involving two four-team groups. Half of the teams will be eliminated, with the remaining four facing off in a single-elimination tournament to determine the winner. The event features a prize pool of 15,000 euros, or approximately $17,000 USD.

While this is largely standard fare for an esports tournament, there’s a big twist that sets the G2 Esports Invitational apart from the rest of the field.

“The captains will only find out who will be on their team the day before the tournament starts. Rewarding adaptability, communication, and teamwork, this tournament will not only test a player’s skill, but also how well they can synergise with their mystery teammates,” G2 said in its announcement of the event.

Ex6TenZ, mixwell highlight G2 Esports Invitational competitors

The eight teams competing in the G2 Esports Invitational will be built around eight established esports players. The list of competitors stands as follows:

• Adrien “ZeratoR” Nougaret
• Kyrylo “ANGE1” Karasov
• Oscar “mixwell” Cañellas Colocho
• William “draken” Sundin
• Piotr “izak” Skowyrski
• Timo “Taimou” Kettunen
• Kévin “Ex6TenZ” Droolans
• Vladyslav “arch” Svistov

Longtime fans of Counter-Strike will recognize many of these names. 

draken, Ex6TenZ, and several others have competed with some of the largest teams in the game and have enjoyed serious success. Among that lot is mixwell, who has found new life in Valorant and was recently signed to be the first member of G2 Esports’ Valorant team.

Two of the players in the G2 Esports Invitational aren’t Counter-Strike converts. Taimou is a former pro Overwatch player, making his biggest mark with Team EnVyUs during the game’s formative days before transitioning to the Dallas Fuel in the Overwatch League.

ZeratoR is a popular French YouTuber with over 700,000 subscribers.

It is uncertain which other talents will take part in the G2 Esports Invitational, whether it will be other similarly credentialed players from existing esports title or less notable players. The reveal will come soon either way, as the event kicks off on June 19.