On Sunday, December 21, Max "Demon1" Mazanov, one of the most recognizable figures on the VALORANT circuit, said on stream that he will likely retire if he does not find a team for the 2026 season: “If I don't get a team this year, by 2026, I don't think I'm playing competitive in 2027.”

Signed by Evil Geniuses in 2023, Demon1 quickly shifted from a high-upside gamble to a decisive win condition. In Los Angeles, he dominated at Champions: Evil Geniuses claimed the 2023 world title, and Demon1 secured the MVP trophy, a marker of immediate influence at the highest level. That triumph, built on EG’s sharp upward trajectory, effectively elevated Demon1 into the category of “franchise” players, those expected to anchor a long-term project, not to be relegated to the bench.

NRG and gradual marginalization

But as the championship roster fragmented, Demon1 left EG and joined NRG for the 2024 season as part of a project burdened with heavy expectations. The fit, however, failed to materialize. In the spring, Sheep Esports reported that the organization was preparing the return of Pujan "FiNESSE" Mehta and Sam “s0m” Oh, and that Demon1 would have to move down the pecking order.

It was the first genuine inflection point, Champions 2023’s MVP was no longer treated as an untouchable cornerstone. Gradually, he became a player whom teams experimented with, repositioned, and ultimately removed from the starting five. At the end of 2024, Demon1 joined Leviatán with the intention of restarting momentum.

Yet the pattern repeated, but in May 2025, Leviatán took him out of the starting lineup alongside Daniel "Rossy" Abedrabbo ahead of Stage 2. Once again, demon1 found himself without a team after only nine matches with the team, including Kickoff 2024 and Stage 1. The organization confirmed the split, and Demon1 once again became officially LFT.

A surprise return at Champions

In September 2025, another twist followed: Dragon Ranger Gaming (DRG) announced Demon1’s signing ahead of Champions Paris, in circumstances framed as temporary, due to visa issues involving Ilya "vo0kashu" Ushakov. It was a striking comeback on the scene’s most prestigious stage, but it did not resolve the underlying issue: his outlook for 2026.

It is against that backdrop that Demon1 delivered his most consequential remark. The premise is straightforward: if 2026 does not bring him a team or a coherent project, he does not envisage waiting until 2027, and would instead pivot toward full-time streaming. The irony is hard to miss. Demon1 reached the summit faster than almost anyone, only to find himself in the opposite position today: a world champion compelled to make his case again, or to accept that the circuit may continue without him.