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Even though EG didn't have any presence in SC2 for a LONG time, GSTL with TL/EG teamed up will always be one of the highlights in SC2 history for me.
Remember the team EG training house?
https://evilgeniuses.gg/
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Evil Geniuses will cease competitive and day-to-day operations effective
November 2, 2026.
The decision comes after an extended effort to build a sustainable path forward for the organization. Unfortunately, esports continues to face significant headwinds, including constrained sponsorship and investment coupled with rising costs of competing at the top level.
Despite sustained investment and the dedication of the EG team, it was concluded that the business cannot be operated responsibly in the current environment.
For more than 25 years, Evil Geniuses has been one of North America's most recognizable esports brands, with a legacy built by its players, coaches, creators, and staff, and by a fan community that has supported the organization through every era. EG and its ownership are grateful to everyone who has contributed to that legacy.
EG intends to cease operations in an orderly fashion, working with affected players, coaches, and staff.
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While running through EG's wikipedia page, I just realised SC2 doesn't even have a section under Former divisions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Geniuses#Overview
Maybe some kind community members here can keep our history updated there as well?
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To me Incontrol was EG.
I don’t follow other games so I can’t speak for those games
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Eh, I feel this is just the brand that died. I'm not sure when I'd say it died, either when Alex Garfield sold it, or when it was sold to private equity.
Forgive me if this post is super rambly. Just wanted to share my experiences as I go through memories of EG.
But yeah, its really sad because the TL-EG rivalry was something really special to me. Especially when I was super into esports like from 2009-2016.
Whenever TL-EG played against eachother in Dota 2, League, or SC2, it was really cool how that rivalry transcended all those games I played.
I think that also transcended into CS but I didn't really play CS, but still thats really cool! Not sure if theres another rivalry like that nowadays.
Besides the very very cursed TL-EG proleague team, I think my other fond memory of EG was the cool teamhouse they did early SC2/League. Not sure if teamhouses are still in vogue now, since there is more money in esports. But that was really cool to see EG was one of the first orgs I know that did teamhouses in NA.
(Before the oldheads get mad at me, I only followed esports at around 2009 so forgive me if I'm wrong there)
I remember the biggest shock I think in my Starcraft fandom, is seeing when EG signed Jaedong. I was so heartbroken then. I thought EG's pockets weren't that crazy.
Oh, and as a Dota fan, the bizzare conspiracy theory of the EG spin-off Alliance was interesting. They clearely were organized by Garfield, as they shared the exact same sponsors and velcro jackets, but there was some weird shenanigans as Riot wouldn't allow 2 teams in the LCS with the same owner.
It turned out to be some weird thing, where Garfield owned the BRAND but the team was owned by someone else.
I guess thats one remnant of EG's legacy is how theres Alliance now.
looking at their page, I had forgotten they sponsored Grubby and Happy in War3 before SC2!
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Was pretty much dead and only alive by name from 2016 onwards I feel like. Or whenever the Twitch/amazon/gga or whatever ownership timeline was. I think it was smart to hand it over when they did since esports was in an impending nosedive at that point.
From what I've heard when the dei hire lady took over it went to complete shit (2020ish?). I'm sure scoots has kind words to say about her lmao. Surprised it even stayed afloat as long as it did, much less until now.
I've never really been an org person but was cool to see them support people like Grubby, all the starcraft guys, and dip into the fgc with jwong and others (rip floe). Even recall playing against their Dota squad guys a few times, but I don't even remember if they were eg at that point.
Lots of good memories hanging out with a lot of them.
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opterown
Australia54785 Posts
Wow, another era comes to an end. I remember fondly the time of yesterdecade!
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End of an era for sure. Such good memories from 20+ years ago with the EG broodwar team, Incontrol, Idra, Machine, Nyoken, G5, Lzgamer…good times!
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Sad to hear, but understandable. EG was one of my favorite SC2 teams - so much personality and so many interesting storylines.
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Idra, iNcontrol, Huk, Thorzain were the only reasons i ever followed any of the EG content or tournament progressions... As sad as it sounds, for me personally I dont really feel like losing anything at this point.
Still a big thanks to EG and everyone involved! <3
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RIP iNcontrol and now RIP EG 
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EG is just one of those orgs that got sold so many times that you had barely any idea what they are about anymore.
Legendary brand, but it really has not contributed anything to Esports in the last decade, except that one Valorant win.
And I'm honestly quite sure this won't be the last. EG was particularly broke for years, but so many Private Equity fonds or Billionaire owners are on the jump to leave Esports...it developed great, but it never fulfilled the promises of riches they thought it had. Just look at Luminosity: The org got sold for like 14 million dollars back in the day, now the original owner bought it back for 500K.
And no, that won't affect orgs like Team Liquid or T1, but it will be a problem for some of the american orgs. Oxygen, the esports arm of the Kraft Group, also imploded recently
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United States33711 Posts
https://x.com/LiquidNazgul/status/2113347919575142558
The greatest rivalry that Liquid ever had in esports was the one in StarCraft 2 between us and Evil Geniuses. In the early days before the scene really developed, the sentiment was that TL was the community darling building talent from the ground up and EG was the evil empire buying players left and right to buy themselves trophies. In those early days, I did not know the people behind the organization.
We competed in all the big tournaments against each other, and when HuK was at his peak, one of the most difficult moments in our organization's history happened when he made the switch to EG. Yet despite the rough start to our relationship, throughout the variety of events that we both attended, Alex Garfield and I ended up spending more and more time together. While we always remained fierce competitors and enemies on the battlefield, I had started to see him as a friend and incredibly skilled rival, peer, colleague, and eventually, ally.
In order to make it in this space, organizations such as Liquid and EG need to work together, and in those years it felt like we were having a positive impact and building a healthier ecosystem for all. Eventually we created the Holy Alliance: bitter rivals teaming up to take on the Korean professional teams on ProLeague was a reflection of the ambition of both of our organizations, as much as it was a statement on the development of our work together behind the scenes.
In my 25 years in esports I can say without a doubt that Alex was one of the most brilliant people I have worked with. Even with investment dollars coming in, new founders coming up and experienced CEOs entering from outside the industry, I will forever hold Alex’s strategy and understanding of the space in the highest regard.
It is sad to see that Evil Geniuses is finally closing its doors and I feel especially for all of its staff and players. However, not all is lost. I know this is a business, and ultimately it is up to those who now own the brand, but I would really like to urge the current owners of the brand to do all of esports a favor and allow for a transfer to Alex. Or in the words of HuK: “GG's, give the brand or sell it super cheap back to
@alexgarfield
please and thanks”
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Oh wow, awesome wright up from the Naz man! Thats really interesting that Nazgul didn't know EG managment until after HuK's signing with them. That makes it way more dramatic imo. It makes sense given EG was in completely different circles until SC2.
Not sure if him calling the EG-TL partnership "holy" instead of "unholy" was a mistake or maybe its how he sees it retrospect.
But yeah, I'm not sure if Alex Garfield could do anything with EG now, not sure what his life is like now, and obviously the business is way tougher. But god bless I think if anyone could find a way to make money in the space its Alex.
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one of my favorite memories from the 2010s when I was super into esports was seeing Evil Geniuses win TI5 in person.
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u know man for me... u know back in the days man we use to have clans.... in broodwar... clan x17 n things... EG was always a caliber above with there organization and things... eventually i started repping them as a fan because i fealt x17 was kind of more under the radar on the scene so to speak... it even cemented me deeper into the team when i saw there website say things about incontrol... eg will forever run through Jaedong... this kinda devastates me as for some gamers eg was our relevance
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EPT
