Liverpool’s Ian ‘Immi’ Harding has been tasked with leading the North American expansion of Berlin-based bG2 Esports as coach of its newly created team for VALORANT, the tactical shooter from Riot Games.
The expansion will see G2’s men’s VALORANT team compete in the VALORANT Challengers North America league. G2 says it is assembling a roster of players that will make clear its ambitions, comprising powerhouse and flagship players who are well-established in the region, mixed with young, exciting talents.
British coach, Immi, who was a CS:GO player and coach from 2015 before making the switch to VALORANT in 2020. He’ll lead the experienced American duo, ShahZaM, who started his career in 2012, and Dapr, a professional player since 2016 on CS:GO with a focus on VALORANT from 2020. They’re joined by exciting players on the scene including Penny and Wippie, while the young prospect, Oxy, completes the team.
G2 first entered VALORANT in Europe in June 2020, and has since become one of the most successful European organisations in the game, winning countless competitions across the continent. The move will see G2 bringing the uniqueness of its brand to another region as the company continues its quest for world domination, both competitively and commercially.
Reaffirming its position in North America, G2 Esports recently signed a major new commercial partnership with American sportswear giant Oakley. The collaboration will see G2 test and provide invaluable feedback on Oakley’s gaming glasses, NXTLVL, to help ensure the range is perfectly suited for gamers worldwide. The partnership will culminate in the brands releasing a co-branded eyewear product designed specifically for gamers.
Oakley joins G2’s growing list of trusted global commercial partners, including Logitech, Ralph Lauren, Mastercard, Herman Miller, Pringles and Red Bull.
Since its founding in 2015, G2 has achieved the highest levels of performance in every aspect of business in the esports industry and beyond. In the last six years, G2 has built a global community of 45 million supporters, including 12.2m followers on its Twitch stream and 7m Twitter followers.
Alban Dechelotte, managing director of G2 Esports, said: “We’re coming to North America with the ambition to take the opportunity that Riot Games offers us to earn our spot in the International League through the Ascension Tournament. In the last six years, we have seen how supportive G2 fans are for our successes and also for our memes in North America. The VALORANT expansion is the continuation of the G2 USA story in Rocket League and Fortnite and we can’t wait to write this new and successful chapter.”
G2 Esports will celebrate its arrival in the region at this year’s Esports Awards in Las Vegas. The company has been shortlisted across a number of categories, including Esports Organization of the Year and Esports Creative Team of the Year.
