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Win.gg Counter-Strike Tarik steps down from Evil Geniuses, addresses Valo

Tarik steps down from Evil Geniuses, addresses Valo

Fariha Bhatti
Fariha Bhatti Published 16/04/2021
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Tarik “tarik” Celik has announced his exit from Evil Geniuses to pursue content creation, putting the rumors of switching to Valorant to rest. 

Evil Geniuses’ ace rifler and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s one of the iconic players tarik has officialized his temporary break from competitive play. The rumors of him quitting CSGO for Riot Games’ shooter have been rife for quite a while, but the professional player clarified that he’s sitting on the bench for an imminent return. 

“I’m going to be reflecting on things that I could have done better or differently throughout my time on the team but more than anything focus on getting back into form. This will be my primary goal while being on the bench,” tarik said.

As an integral part to our ongoing presence in CS:GO, @tarik is transitioning to focus on streaming and content creation. We are excited to support and work with him while exploring the next steps in his career. pic.twitter.com/shNsEMkEJI

— Evil Geniuses (@EvilGeniuses) April 15, 2021

The news comes after EG’s disappointing string of performances across different tournaments, taking losses to lower-tier teams. The viewers heavily criticized tarik for his poor showing, prompting a response from the pro player. The 25-year old had responded to the backlash and received support from fellow pro players who urged him to stay in CSGO amid the North American Valorant wave. 

Yo thanks for kicking a man while he’s down.. I already know I lost us the game. You aren’t perfect either, shit happens. ????????‍♂️

— tarik (@tarik) April 7, 2021

Why is tarik leaving Evil Geniuses?

tarik joined Evil Geniuses in March 2019 and has since remained an integral part of the team. His departure comes from a difference in opinion in how the team should be operated, tarik explained in his statement. The pro player acknowledged the lackluster results and revealed that he had a different approach to recurring issues that didn’t align with the team. 

His announcement didn’t mention switching to a particular game, which comes as a relief for CS fans. However, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility either. For now, the pro player is following in the footsteps of the likes of Michael “shroud” Grzesiek and Christopher ” GeT_RiGhT” Alesund and will be producing his own content. tarik will likely return to pro play if an ideal opportunity comes up. 

EG signs MICHU to replace tarik 

tarik will be replaced by Polish player Michał “⁠MICHU⁠” Müller, who will debut for EG in the FunSpark ULTI 2020 Europe Final on April 19. The 24-year old has previously played for Envy, Virtus.Pro, and other major CSGO squads. 

EG recently lost its key player Ethan “Ethan” Arnold to Valorant and tarik’s departure is undoubtedly a major hit to the roster already going through a slump. MICHU’s extensive experience should help EG claw back before the CSGO RMR events kick-off. 

EG’s current roster is: 

Fariha Bhatti Fariha Bhatti
About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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