G2 part ways with shox

G2 have announced that they have mutually parted ways with Richard "⁠shox⁠" Papillon to "allow him to pursue other opportunities."

The 27-year-old was reportedly benched after the team's disappointing showing at the StarLadder Major, where the French side placed 9th-11th after missing out on a spot in the playoffs with a 2-3 record in the New Legends Stage.

The move came at a point when rumors spread around about G2's plans of going international with signings of Nemanja "⁠nexa⁠" Isaković and Nemanja "⁠huNter-⁠" Kovač from CR4ZY as part of a restructuring of the team, which would also include the benching of Lucas "⁠Lucky⁠" Chastang.

shox's time with G2 is at an end

For the time being, Lucky remains a part of the team, who are currently in New York, set to compete at the ESL One stop kicking off later on Thursday with Fabien "⁠kioShiMa⁠" Fiey standing in for the squad.

shox had been a part of G2 for over three-and-a-half years, since the organization signed the last iteration of Titan featuring Kévin "⁠Ex6TenZ⁠" Droolans, Cédric "⁠RpK⁠" Guipouy, Edouard "⁠SmithZz⁠" Dubourdeaux, and Adil "⁠ScreaM⁠" Benrlitom.

He was the only player of that roster who stayed with the organization throughout multiple periods of restructuring, including the early-2017 combination of Envy and G2, the return of SmithZz and Ex6TenZ in mid-2018 and their subsequent departure in late-2018, when G2 created the core of the current team with the signing of Audric "⁠JACKZ⁠" Jug and Lucky.

Under the G2 banner, shox won several international titles including ECS Season 1 Finals, ESL Pro League Season 5 Finals, and DreamHack Masters Malmö 2017, and remained one of the few players to compete in every top-16 stage of a Major to date.

“It’s been almost four years already… a player’s career is made up of highs and lows, indescribable joy and deep despair. In the nearly four years that I’ve spent with G2, I’ve experienced all these emotions. The road was never easy, the teammates I had along the way numerous, and I won’t forget any of them.

"I may not have always made the right decisions, not received the support I’d hoped for, but I’ve always been guided by the same principle – my love for this game and the vision I have for it. Thank you to everyone that has followed and believed in me, and even to those who didn’t, but followed me anyways," shox said to g2esports.com.

Now, the legendary player is reported to be on his way to Vitality as a replacement for Nathan "⁠NBK-⁠" Schmitt, who was benched following the StarLadder Major.

G2 currently have:

Kenny "⁠kennyS⁠" Schrub
Audric "⁠JACKZ⁠" Jug
Lucas "⁠Lucky⁠" Chastang
François "⁠amanek⁠" Delaunay
Fabien "⁠kioShiMa⁠" Fiey (stand-in)

Damien "⁠maLeK⁠" Marcel (coach)