ENVY has signed Max “Demon1” Mazanov for VCT Americas, with the star duelist set to debut against his former team Evil Geniuses on Feb. 6, 2026, in their 2026 Kickoff lower bracket run.
The announcement dropped on X today, catching fans off guard after Demon1’s short stint at Cloud9. The announcement video shows Chamber before his name, which means he will be the Sentinel of the team, replacing Hunter “Inspire” Schline.
During his brief time at C9, the team defeated ENVY in the middle round 2-1, pushing them down the lower bracket, where Demon1 had the highest rating among his teammates (1.13) across three maps. There’s a chance these two teams could face each other once more in the VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff lower bracket, but this time, Demon1 will be an ENVY player.
Demon1’s VCT journey so far
Demon1 first broke out with Evil Geniuses in early 2023. He helped EG win the VALORANT Champions 2023 title, sweeping Paper Rex in the grand final. That run earned him Breakthrough Player of the Year at the Esports Awards. He also grabbed second place at the Masters Tokyo that year, shining on agents like Jett and Astra.
After EG, his path got bumpy. Demon1 moved to NRG late in 2023 but exited early. He joined Leviatán in 2024, then subbed for Dragon Ranger Gaming at Champions 2025. By fall 2025, he hit free agency, hinting at retirement if no 2026 roster clicked.
Cloud9 brought him in late January as a stand-in for OXY, who stepped away for family reasons ahead of VCT Americas Kickoff. The stint lasted just weeks.
Now with ENVY, Demon1 fills a key spot. The team hyped his arrival on socials, teasing big things in the EG matchup. ENVY struggled early this split, and Demon1’s clutch genes could shift their momentum, and VCT Americas Kickoff could heat up with this move.
EG preps to face a revamped ENVY side, and Demon1’s history against them adds spice, as he dominated their lanes back in his EG days. If you’re wagering on the action, the best esports betting sites list Demon1 props and ENVY outrights. Odds favor his impact debut, but EG’s home edge keeps it close.
