Gentle Mates crowned VCT EMEA Game Changers Split 1 champions

Gentle Mates wasted little time in leaving their mark on VCT EMEA Game Changers. Joining the league in 2026, M8 upended the established order on Sunday by defeating G2 Gozen with a decisive 3–0 sweep in the Stage 1 grand final, securing their first title for their first appearance.

Across the series, M8 claimed Haven 13–9, dominated Split 13–4, and then closed out Pearl 14–12, finishing the match without conceding a single map to their opponents. Yet this triumph was far from abrupt: throughout the tournament, Gentle Mates assembled their momentum with consistency and composure.

The team posted a strong 7–2 record, positioning themselves among the leading contenders and substantiating their credentials as a legitimate title threat. The Mates delivered an early statement by taking down G2 in the upper final 2–1, before reinforcing that trajectory in the match that mattered most: the grand final.

That Gentle Mates reached the summit so quickly is also a consequence of the project’s unusually high baseline of experience for a newly formed roster. The lineup is structured around Iman “Nami” Nagaaoui as IGL, alongside Anastasia “tokameite” Pozharskaya, Martyna “Marti” Pabian, Gülce Eda “wens” Sürmeli, and Emine “berryx” Çoban: a five designed to be competitive immediately, featuring profiles already established within the EMEA scene.

Their backgrounds largely speak for themselves: stints within prominent teams, substantial runs in the previous season, and most importantly, the capacity to withstand pressure, precisely the quality required to turn a strong tournament into a championship.

That maturity is equally evident behind the players. Gentle Mates entrusted the project to head coach Kevin “Ex6TenZ” Droolans, supported by Sammy “iDex” Van de Weghe an alliance that brings a clear performance culture and working standards aligned with top-tier organisations.

Gentle Mates have, however, surprised many because the timing is striking: scarcely arrived, they already operated like an established side, capable of beating the benchmark teams and completing the job when it counted. Where many new projects need a split or two to settle into an identity, M8 accelerated immediately, ultimately proclaiming themselves European champions in their first tournament.