NRG has joined the growing list of prominent organizations departing from Apex Legends, marking another loss for the game’s competitive scene. This departure signifies a significant setback for an organization that once stood at the pinnacle of Apex Legends. NRG announced the exit of its competitive team, including sweetdreams, nafen, and Gild, as well as its last remaining Apex content creator, babynikki.
This abrupt exit contrasts sharply with NRG’s previous standing in the scene. While they never clinched a victory at the ALGS LAN events, NRG’s competitive team consistently achieved success, securing a second-place finish at the Split One Playoffs earlier this year, along with respectable top-20 placements at the Split Two Playoffs and the ALGS Championship. They also boasted some of the game’s most popular content creators, such as aceu and Lululuvely.
Now, it seems that NRG will no longer have any presence in the Apex Legends community.
In a statement shared on Twitter, Sweet, a member of NRG, explained that the organization’s departure from the scene aligns with the reasons behind other leading organizations, like Team Liquid, Cloud9, and G2 Esports, leaving Apex Legends. Numerous organizations have expressed concerns about the lack of return on investment in Apex esports and the ALGS, especially amid the ongoing “esports winter.” These factors likely sealed NRG Apex’s fate.
Sweet also mentioned in his statement that all the players and coaches from the team will be seeking new opportunities in the fourth year of the ALGS, although not necessarily as a unified group.
Furthermore, the former NRG roster will undergo changes for the upcoming year of competition. Despite being considered top-tier players in North America, the team’s performance fell short of expectations, finishing outside the top 10 in the last two LAN tournaments of the year. This raises the possibility of individual players leaving the team or the entire roster breaking up, adding to the ongoing roster changes in the competitive scene.
NRG’s departure signifies a significant turning point for ALGS organizers. Legacy organizations like NRG contribute to the competition’s support and visibility, bolstering its popularity. If the competition cannot retain at least some of these organizations, it may hinder its own growth and popularity.
As the ALGS prepares for its fourth year of competition this fall, the uncertainty remains regarding which organizations will continue to participate.