G2 Esports was slammed by Valorant fans on social media for their controversial post after the match versus LOUD.
Valorant fans are not new to trash-talking and banter on and off the stage. From Demon1’s vicious onstage persona to Zellsis learning a new language to intimidate South Korean team GenG during the match, we can safely say that raillery is all “part of the game.”
However, it seems like some Valorant fans found the line that separates good banter and outright insensitivity in G2 Esports’ social media posts. During their match against LOUD, the official social media account of the North American team posted a meme depicting self-harm.
Notably, the chances of the latest VCT Masters winners, Sentinels, lie in the hands of G2 Esports and LOUD. Sentinels were officially kicked off from playoffs contention and Masters Shanghai due to a round differential.
G2’s 11-13 loss to LOUD meant that the Sentinels would not advance to the next split stage. This could be the rationale behind G2’s social media post mid-match.
However, many fans quickly called out the esports team for the foul post. While many fans are used to the banter, many people agree that self-harm and mental illnesses are no joking matter.
Moreover, some fans called out that Mental Health Awareness Month is celebrated during May, making the post more ill-timed and received worse than others. Sentinels duelist Zekken also called out the post himself, wondering how the post is still up despite the backlash.
On the other hand, some Valorant content creators noted that this genre of trash-talking is not new in the community, with Sentinels themselves posting memes related to the 9/11 attacks.
G2 Esports has still yet to release a statement regarding the backlash.
VCT Americas Stage 1 will continue with the playoffs starting May 9, with opening matches between Cloud 9 and G2 Esports.