bipo is benched by Gentle Mates ahead of VCT EMEA Stage 2 Play-ins

As expected following the arrival of Joona "H1ber" Parviainen, Gentle Mates have made a change to their starting lineup. After being part of the roster since the beginning of the season, Taranvir "bipo" Singh has officially made way for the Finnish player, as announced by the organization on its social media channels on Wednesday.

Following an inconsistent Group Stage, Gentle Mates will have to fight their way through the Stage 2 Play-Ins to keep their VCT EMEA campaign alive. The French organization had already reshaped its roster at the end of Stage 1 with the signing of Yusuf Emre "Proxh" Tunc, but after another disappointing set of results, M8 have opted for one final change in an attempt to secure a place at VALORANT Champions.

The Italian player did everything he could over the past few months to meet expectations, but it ultimately proved insufficient. He began the season as the team's Duelist, but after struggling during Stage 1, Gentle Mates moved him to the Sentinel role, swapping positions with Patrik "Minny" Hušek.

The adjustment failed to produce the desired results during Stage 2. Gentle Mates finished the Group Stage with a 2-3 record and were consistently outmatched by the region's strongest teams. With bipo's performances deemed insufficient, the organization decided to move him to the bench. In its announcement, however, Gentle Mates also highlighted that he was part of the roster that qualified the organization for the first international VALORANT event in its history at Masters Santiago.

Speaking live on his Twitch channel on Wednesday, Gentle Mates co-CEO Kevin "Brawks" Georges explained that the decision stemmed from the team's "loss of confidence" in bipo and the belief that a change had become necessary. He also clarified that, contrary to what many had initially expected, H1ber will take over the Sentinel role, while Minny will remain on Duelist due to the limited time available to make broader role adjustments. Gentle Mates will begin their Play-Ins campaign this Sunday against the winner of the match between Fnatic and Enterprise Esports.