Sources: GameWard Astrals disband after new sponsor pulls out following transphobic backlash

After three tumultuous months of tryouts and roster explorations, French organization GameWard made the decision on Friday, 28th of February, to disband its efforts in the women's and marginalized genders scene—just one week after finalizing its roster and one week before its scheduled bootcamp in Boulogne-Billancourt.

Per sources and as confirmed by GameWard, the project's major shortcoming was its reliance on securing a new sponsorship to fund it, which ultimately fell through. The sponsor's decision to pull out was largely influenced by the backlash surrounding Solary Academy’s roster announcement, which faced unwarranted criticism simply for including and supporting transgender women.

David "Impishou" Laniel, co-founder of GameWard, commented on the situation, saying, "This new partner entering esports is faced with a toxic climate, which is always incredibly complex. All the goodwill in the world isn’t enough—you step in to make progress, to push causes, but if you end up caught in political scandals… It’s hard to imagine a future in an environment like that." The situation was further exacerbated by political exploitation from far-right French politicians, notably Marion Maréchal, who attempted to use the story to push an "anti-woke" agenda.

The decision has been especially difficult for the players, but GameWard has reaffirmed its commitment to paying the now-former roster for the weeks they spent under contract. The organization also emphasized its intent to help the players find a new team ahead of the 2025 season. As confirmed by the squad, GWARDIAN BOX, the mixed division competing in the Nexus Tour, will not be affected by this news. According to the organization, this year's plan was to reallocate GameWard Astrals' budget from last year to the Nexus Tour project while securing external sponsorship to support the roster competing exclusively in the women's scene—a strategy that ultimately failed due to unforeseen circumstances.

In further discussions, Sheep Esports requested a comment from GameWard on its stance regarding the inclusion of transgender women in the scene. The organization responded:

With the announcements of the Equal Esports Cup and Game Changers circuits expected soon, the now teamless roster is actively searching for a new home to compete. According to sources, GameWard had assembled a roster that included toplaner Vildan "Telch" Soylu, Equal Esports Cup champion and former NNOwO jungler Isla "Sana" L., former NORD Polaris AD Carry Scarlett "Nadsat" Bettison, former Vitality support Emeline "Kasane" Baudouin, and Luna "Zavee" Lochmann, who recently role-swapped to midlane. Zavee had previously won the Equal Esports Festival with Berlin International Gaming and also competed for SK Gaming as an AD Carry.

When speaking with members of the team prior to the roster being dropped, the common sentiment was that the new roster aspired to compete with top teams in the circuit, moving beyond the exploratory ambitions of GameWard's approach last year, when they made a small initial investment to dip their toes into the competition. The team had also secured Tanguy "Seno" de Saint Mars as their coach, who previously worked with NLC champions Lionscreed and former LFL Division 2 organization Akroma.

Setting a troubling precedent, this situation weakens the women's and marginalized genders scene, underscoring the urgent need for an officially sanctioned Game Changers circuit. As reported in January, Riot Games is preparing to launch its League of Legends efforts this year, though uncertainty still surrounds the competition. Sources now anticipate potential delays, a concern that GameWard itself acknowledged and cited as further justification for its decision, with indications that the first year of League of Legends Game Changers may operate on a lower budget than initially agreed upon. With financial instability, teams like BDS Valkyries and MAD Lions KOI pulled back their efforts last year, and GameWard's situation further hinders the growth of the scene, highlighting its extreme vulnerability.

Beyond the economic impact, this move sends a significant blow to the promotion of inclusivity and the acceptance of transgender women in esports. While the majority of those within the scene continue to support transgender women, incidents like this illustrate how fragile their place in esports can be when decisions are driven by external pressures. Investors and sponsors hold substantial influence over the existence of these teams, and their actions—like GameWard's disbandment—serve as a reminder that the livelihoods of transgender players are at risk.

Connected to this news, sources have indicated that Riot Games will prevent non-binary players from competing in the upcoming League of Legends Game Changers circuit, a policy already in place in Webedia's Coupe des Étoiles, despite them having been included in the Equal Esports Cup for the past few years. Furthermore, past whistleblowers have pointed to high-profile organizations and titleholders rejecting transgender women during tryouts. Without continued support for transgender women, there’s a real risk of the scene regressing, further marginalizing these players. What starts with the exclusion of non-binary individuals today could set a precedent that leaves transgender women vulnerable to similar treatment in the future.