G2 Gozen Win VCT Game Changers EMEA Stage 3

As the 2026 Game Changers Championship approaches, G2 Gozen is once again in the running. The team has just won VCT Game Changers EMEA Stage 3, beating Gentle Mates for the trophy and a Championship qualification. Let’s recap.

G2 Gozen Defeats Gentle Mates, Wins VCT Game Changers EMEA Stage 3

On August 30, 2026, G2 Esports’ VCT Game Changers team G2 Gozen defeated Gentle Mates to win the tournament’s EMEA Stage 3. The VALORANT team’s lineup, including mimi, amy, Vania, Akita, and eva, pulled ahead in a close 3-2 series to take the crown. The win grants Gozen a Game Changers Championship team slot, introducing a chance to run it back to their 2022 victory. G2 played their GC EMEA finals in Istanbul, Turkey, at the ESA Esports Arena.

G2 Gozen and Gentle Mates GC have become an intense rivalry in EMEA Game Changers Valorant, and their 2026 season has been full of back-and-forths. The two teams kept crossing paths all year long, from group stage matchups to grand finals, and Gentle Mates usually came out on top. M8 swept G2 Gozen 3-0 in the Stage 1 Grand Final, then beat them again in the Stage 2 upper final and multiple group stage matches throughout the year. However, G2 Gozen has clapped back each time with renewed strategies.

The Games: G2 Gozen vs. M8 GC

The matchups tend to be close, and the Stage 3 Grand Final was no exception. Gozen snatched the first game on Breeze 13-11, with eva’s Sova domination playing a large part. However, Gentle Mates grabbed Sunset 13-6. berryx, who had struggled on Breeze, completely turned the tables with an impressive 20/10 Neon scoreline. Control flipped back to Gozen on Haven, where eva’s Sova once again excelled to the tune of a 13-5 win. Ascent kept things neck-and-neck, as mimi and Marti dueled to outfrag each other on Phoenix.

With M8 clutching Game 4 13-8, Lotus became the decider. G2 Gozen locked in and went Super Saiyan, steamrolling M8 13-4. Its Attacker half was notably clean, with Akita’s confident plays shining. amy’s Viper was also a force to be reckoned with as she effortlessly picked up frags and masterfully controlled the map.

What’s Next for G2 Gozen? VCT Game Changers Championship 2026

G2 Gozen’s Stage 3 win qualifies them for the 2026 VCT Game Changers Championship, which will occur later in November. The team is a familiar face in the competition.

The Gozen roster won the first-ever Championship tournament in 2022, beating Team Liquid, Shopify Rebellion, KRU, Cloud9, and other big names. (Notably, Cloud9 has just returned to the Game Changers scene this year, introducing a new roster.) The following two years, Shopify Rebellion dominated. 2025 shook things up a bit, with Team Liquid ending their winstreak.

QUEENS OF EMEA, BACK ON THE THRONE 👑

G2 GOZEN ARE YOUR VCT GAME CHANGERS STAGE 3 CHAMPIONS! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/CafACJUhCG

— G2 VALORANT (@G2VALORANT) August 30, 2026

Only Michaela “mimi” Lintrup remains from the title-winning 2022 crew. She’s known as a fierce IGL, among the greats in the overall VCT circuit. Fellow VALORANT star and ex-Counter-Strike player Petra has since retired, but she makes regular appearences in the VCT circuit as an analyst and commentator. Can G2 Gozen’s new members carry the torch by crushing another Championship? Only time will tell.