Cloud9 CEO says his Challengers team is “better than at least half of the LCS rosters”

  ❘   Printed: 2023-04-10T11:28:23

  ❘   Up to date: 2023-04-10T11:50:27

Cloud9 co-founder and CEO Jack Etienne has revealed that he’ll let his Challengers gamers go away at no cost if which means they are going to get to play within the LCS.

Because the LCS prepares for a interval of frantic exercise following the tip of the Spring break up, Etienne known as on fellow LCS house owners to achieve out in the event that they’re all in favour of his Challengers gamers earlier than the beginning of the Summer time break up. He’s even keen to let all the roster go away “for zero buyout” if it implies that the gamers can have the chance to play in North America’s greatest league.

Noting that the gamers “are prepared for the LCS stage”, the Cloud9 CEO revealed that the squad “had a successful report in scrims in opposition to LCS groups (together with Cloud9 LCS) all yr.”

“My promise to every of those gamers is to develop their expertise and provides them a platform to get into the LCS,” he defined.

Though he’s keen to let the staff go away for nothing, Etienne wrote on Reddit that, if there’s a bidding struggle for the roster, he should think about “what’s greatest for Cloud9 and the gamers.”

Contemporary off his team’s LCS Spring victory, he couldn’t assist however take a jab at a few of his rivals: “This staff [Cloud9 Challengers] is just higher than a minimum of half of the LCS rosters.”

The success of Cloud9 Challengers

Cloud9’s second staff gained the NA Challengers League Spring break up after defeating Dignitas Challengers in April 2’s grand ultimate. 4 of the staff’s gamers have prior LCS expertise, with assist Tristan ‘Zeyzal’ Stidam having even performed for Cloud9 throughout three totally different stints between 2016 and 2022.

Canadian jungler Tomio ‘Tomio’ Chan is the one participant on Cloud9 Challengers who has not but set foot on the LCS stage. He got here by way of Evil Geniuses’ academy, the place he performed alongside Joseph ‘Jojopyun’ Pyun, earlier than signing with the Cloud9 group on the finish of 2022.

Zeyzal is presently enjoying for Cloud9 Challengers

Mid-laner Dimitri ‘Diplex’ Ponomarev was initially as a result of be a part of Cloud9’s predominant staff. Nevertheless, midway by way of the Spring Cut up, he was moved right down to the Challengers squad as Jang ‘EMENES’ Min-soo was promoted to the principle staff in a “trial run” that eventually became permanent.

Cloud9 Challengers roster:

• Aaron ‘FakeGod’ Lee
• Tomio ‘Tomio’ Chan
• Dimitri ‘Diplex’ Ponomarev
• Lawrence ‘Misplaced’ Hui
• Tristan ‘Zeyzal’ Stidam