It has been more than a week since G2’s (former) CEO, Carlos Rodriguez, hit the front page of every social media platform connected to an esports fan. On the 19th of September, it was revealed that Carlos would be serving an eight-week unpaid suspension after publishing content that showed him partying with Andrew Tate. Following the latest developments, Carlos Rodriguez has resigned from G2, divested his stake in the firm, and attempted to backpedal away from the controversy.
As the situation unravelled on social media, industry experts, fans, and representatives took to the airwaves to voice their opinions. There were accusations, conspiracy theories, and claims circulated on popular platforms like Twitter and Reddit. At the top of the ‘theories table’ was the suggestion that the LEC and (or) Riot Games had acted as the driving force behind Carlos’ resignation.
But is there any truth to that allegation?
‘The LEC Has Not Requested Carlos to Resign’
In a statement posted to Twitter, Maximilian Peter Schmidt, the Head of Esports for League of Legends in EMEA at Riot Games, explained:
‘Hey everyone, I saw several false rumors regarding G2 & Carlos and wanted to clarify: The LEC has not requested Carlos to resign from G2 nor divest his ownership. We opened an investigation last week per our LEC rules, which is still ongoing.’
As this statement was published, it was immediately followed by a damning claim from Twitter user Stane3r, who wrote: “LEC didn’t request, Riot did.’ By way of response to that claim, Schmidt simply wrote:
There are now suspicions circulating that suggest G2’s shareholders were the leading factor behind Carlos Rodriguez’s resignation. As the LEC’s investigation kicked off, there were concerns that G2 would lose its spot in the LEC roster, which would be relatively devastating news following the revelation that G2 wouldn’t be a partnered Valorant organisation in any region. In the run-up to the Andrew Tate controversy, it seemed set in stone that G2 would make the cut, but Riot Games seemingly reversed that concept at the last moment.
What Happens Now?
Carlos may be gone, but G2 will continue to function. (Image Credit: Red Bull)
G2 is one of the most valuable esports organisations in the industry, being valued at more than $340 million in May 2022. While Riot Games never formally offered G2 one of the thirty partnered positions for the Valorant ecosystem, the organisation had begun scouting opportunities to acquire teams and enter the North American market.
At present, it is unknown who will replace Carlos as the CEO of G2, a company that has become synonymous with the esports industry in general. For the most part, it’s unknown what led Carlos to file his resignation from the firm, and it may be something that is never truly revealed. Despite support ringing out from Carlos’ confidants, friends, and colleagues, it seems there may have been a more secretive agenda within the confines of the G2 leadership team that ultimately forced Carlos’ hand.
Now that the repercussions and consequences of this situation have fully surfaced, there’s no knowing what will happen next.
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