Esport MeEvil Geniuses to shut down esports operations after 27 years
The organisation will cease competitive and day-to-day operations on 2 November, with CEO Chris DeAppolonio citing unsustainable sponsorship and competition costs.
Evil Geniuses will close its esports business on 2 November, bringing an end to an organisation that has competed since 1999, according to an announcement reported by Esports.gg News.
The closure covers all competitive and daily operations, with chief executive Chris DeAppolonio pointing to structural problems across the industry rather than a single failed venture.
DeAppolonio said esports continues to face "significant headwinds, including limited sponsorship and the rising cost of competing at the top level," according to Esports.gg News.
He added that "despite sustained investment and the dedication of the EG team, it's been concluded that the business cannot be operated responsibly in the current environment," confirming that the decision followed efforts to keep the organisation running rather than an immediate collapse.
Every player across Evil Geniuses' esports rosters is now free to contact other organisations, Esports.gg News reported.
The VALORANT roster and coaching staff will be able to sign elsewhere once the 2026 season concludes on 2 November, the same date set for the wider shutdown.
DeAppolonio's statement, shared alongside the closure announcement on Evil Geniuses' X account, thanked those who had represented the organisation across its history.
"To the players, the staff, and everyone who put their heart and soul into EG over the last few years: you were all amazing," he wrote, according to Esports.gg News. "We gave this organization everything we had. I could not have asked for a better team."
He also addressed the wider community attached to the brand: "To everyone who has ever worn the EG logo, to the fans who kept showing up, and to the partners who supported this org over the last 25+ years: thank you for everything."
DeAppolonio's message extended beyond the current roster, acknowledging the staff, content creators and sponsors who built the organisation's history over more than two decades.
"EG's legacy stretches far back and there were so many amazing moments, people, teams, and content that forged it before us," he said. "It was an honor to be a part of it."
Evil Geniuses was founded 27 years ago, in 1999, making it one of the longest-running organisations in competitive esports before this closure, as reported by Esports.gg News.
With the shutdown confirmed for 2 November, attention now shifts to where the organisation's VALORANT players and coaches land once their contracts with Evil Geniuses formally end.