A few days before the start of the 2026
VALORANT Champions Tour Americas,
NRG held a press conference during which they answered media questions. Malkolm
"bonkar" Rench discussed his collaborative approach, integrating
Georgio "keiko" Sanassy without forcing one-for-one roles, and more topics.
Questions for Malkolm "bonkar" Rench
With a new season, what will be key for NRG to succeed domestically in VCT Americas and internationally?
bonkar: "A lot of our success came from playing our game. That’s everyone chipping in, we do what suits us. You can try to copy it, but it likely won’t work because you aren’t our team. We’ll keep doing what we believe in: everyone brings ideas, agents they want to try, theories to test, and we combine those into a shared path forward.
With keiko joining recently, how has he settled in, and what were your first impressions from the offseason tournament?
bonkar: He’s come in gradually. We took time to learn him, in and out of the server. We didn’t force him into one-for-one replacements; we wanted him to play his style. He’s integrating well. Red Bull Homeground was a good first measure, a little practice beforehand, but he played naturally. It felt like a fair read on our floor and on the potential ceiling together.
How are you and Joseph "Strong" Edwards approaching prep now, with the meta changes and keiko’s arrival?
bonkar: Last year was our first as a coaching pair, so we had to learn how to work together. This offseason has been much more efficient. We know our strengths and how to mesh them, and we’ve gained experience in guiding players and learning from them. With keiko, the idea is: learn what he wants to do and what he’s good at, then amplify it. His strong suit is clear firepower. Whatever role he plays, he’s going to frag. Our job is to create systems and parameters that let him operate freely within.
You all went quiet after Red Bull. What were you up to?
bonkar: Beyond building the roster and system, it was about getting mentally and physically ready for a long year, preparing everything I could on the individual side.
Given the grind, how ready do you feel for Kickoff, and what are your expectations?
bonkar: We’re getting there. For
the kickoff, teams aren’t at one hundred percent. We also keep our practice schedule light during the season, focused, not grind-heavy. Expectations are: make the LAN and go on a run."
Questions for Ethan "Ethan" Arnold
Thoughts on the map pool change, Sunset leaving, Breeze joining for Kickoff?
Ethan: "Sunset had its time; we had good matches on it, but it wasn’t our favorite, so we’re not upset it’s out. Breeze looks good. Riot nailed the changes. The map fits VALORANT better now; before it felt like an outlier.
With the new system, Sam "s0m" Oh used to be very vocal and helped with keiko early. Who’s picking up mid-rounding and the hype support for you as IGL?
Ethan: It’s on everyone, and it always has been. s0m just showed it more than others, but it’s a team effort and will stay that way. Who stands up on stage? We’ll see. I got into it at the end; everyone has it in them.
NRG at the Rebbull Homeground - Credit: NRG/VALORANT
With your Champions win and form at the end of Stage 2, plus roster changes around the league, keiko in, MIBR’s super team, does the pressure feel higher to maintain momentum?
Ethan: For me, no added pressure. The difference is we enter a new year with a foundation that’s an advantage: we know how to play with each other, probably better than others do right now. And yes, VCT Americas looks the most competitive it’s been, most teams upgraded over the offseason. It should be fun.
You disappeared for a bit. What did the offseason look like?
Ethan: It felt short. After Paris, we spent a week or two in Los Angeles doing content, then went home, then New York, and practice started basically right after. Not much of a break, but productive.
After the challenge of returning to IGL last year and winning, how is keiko adapting to your system and to the Americas?
Ethan: Well. Starting early helped integrate him, as bonkar said. I ended Champs with a system I felt good about, both for me as IGL and for the team. With a new player, I have more to learn personally, and we need to build him into the system on top of meta changes. It’s a continuous cycle of learning, adapting, and adding."
Questions for Brock "brawk" Somerhalder
After your Odin spree on certain maps, Odin usage seems more common. In the current meta and rotation, can it still thrive, or is it map-dependent?
brawk: "It can still be good, just not as much as on the old pool. With changes and rotations Lotus out, for example, you’ll see it less on long-fight maps like Breeze or Abyss. It’s better on closer-quarters maps where you can get spam value.
Do you have a message to Odin haters?
brawk: I get why people hate it, and it doesn’t get to me. There’s still skill involved; people assume there isn’t, but there definitely is.
Where does Bandit fit versus Ghost on pistols?
brawk: Practically, Bandit often replaces Ghost. If your pistol-round utility is 200, you can pair it with Bandit; if it’s 300, you probably buy Ghost. Bandit’s strong in bonus rounds, too.
As reigning champions heading into a new season with much of the same core, how do you feel?
brawk: This is my first time keeping the same core into the next year. That’s awesome to have. It should be a fun, exciting year."
