Joining Game Changers EMEA for the 2026 season, Gentle Mates had an almost perfect year, winning the first Stage as well as qualifying for the
VALORANT GC Championship. Results that seem to have confirmed the French club is heading in the right direction with this roster, which should therefore continue in 2027, with Emine "
berryx" Çoban and Gülce "
wens" Sürmeli set to renew with M8, sources told
Sheep Esports.
Winners of the first Stage of 2026 ahead of historical clubs in the league such as G2 Gozen, GIANTX and Karmine Corp, Gentle Mates immediately achieved a strong result upon joining the league, with a perfect run in the playoffs and a 3-0 victory over G2 Esports' GC team in the final. Afterwards, Gentle Mates continued its strong momentum with a perfect Stage 2, winning all nine games in the group stage, exactly one year after G2 had achieved the same feat. In the final phase, M8 defeated GIANTX and then G2 Gozen's players to reach the grand final through the upper bracket, but ultimately fell 0-3 to SK Nebula.
A wonderful first year
Entering Stage 3, the qualifying stage for the GC Championship, Gentle Mates and its two Turkish players continued to shine, albeit with slightly less success. Finishing the group stage with a 6-3 record, the French club still secured a direct spot in the playoffs. In the final phase, M8 turned its steamroller back on, first defeating FOKUS Sakura, then G2 Gozen and finally SK Nebula, securing another spot in the grand final, its third in three Stages.
In a Bo5 held on LAN in Istanbul, G2 Gozen came out on top, possibly thanks to its experience in big moments, with the German club winning 3-2 and securing direct qualification for Sao Paulo and the GC Championship.
Gentle Mates will nevertheless also be heading to Brazil, with the EMEA region having three spots for the Championship, two of which are awarded through the points system held throughout the full year. M8 finished comfortably first in that ranking, thanks to its title and two runner-up finishes. For berryx, the French club's Duelist, this will be her first international experience, having started competing in 2024 and 2025 as the youngest player in the competitive GC EMEA circuit, which is reserved for women and marginalized genders. The second-highest rated player of Stage 3 on
VLR.gg, berryx is also first in Kill:Death ratio, with 1.28, as well as Kills per Round, with 0.88, a profile that therefore largely helped guide her team to success in this final Stage.
For her teammate wens, who primarily plays Sentinels, this will be an opportunity to return to the GCC after qualifying for and competing at the event in 2023 with BBL Esports, where she finished in 5th-6th place.
