Demon1 Just Can't Catch A  Break

Demon1. A name that sent shivers down everyone’s spine in 2023. The man. The myth. The legend. And now? Just history. Imagine going from being the most wanted player to getting kicked off the main roster. The reason? “Not being good enough” Or at least, that’s what Demon1 took away from the meeting that decided his fate.

But that’s not the whole story. His former coach at NRG also threw some shade at Demon1 following the roster change. The situation has raised concerns about agent roles, professionalism, and character — while creating the biggest question of all: was Demon1 really the issue? Let’s get into it

Agent Roles

 

When Leviatán signed Demon1, fans were excited to see him reach his former glory. With a set vision and mechanics in hand — Demon1 promised his fans that his journey with Leviatán couldn’t be worse than it was in NRG. Yet, fans were left clutching their hair in disbelief when it was announced that Demon1 would be on smokes permanently, while King would take up duelist instead

In theory, it makes sense — Demon1’s a secondary duelist and has played Smokes in EG. In fact, TenZ proved himself via this route as well. However, oftentimes, what looks good on paper doesn't exactly transfer into reality. Demon1 wasn’t bad but it just felt lacking in front of his past uncanny aim. So, did Demon1 fall off, or did the coaches fumble the bag? While fans were debating between the two, a tweet popped up — leaving fans in shock. Demon1 was put on the reserve roster. Despite having the best performance. So, what happened? Why bench him? 

Community Response

While fans already had a lot to say. Chet, Demon1's former coach, decided to weigh in as well. With his tweet already sparking debates on professionalism, the community was quick to turn on Chet, with one even stating, “ This is why no one likes you”. Yikes. Yet, it goes beyond a single tweet:

The Deeper Implications

With this move, Chet chose sides. Recently, there's been a sudden shift, with fans going from blaming players to pointing fingers at coaches instead. After all, at an individual level — the players all seemingly perform well. Yet, that same player starts underperforming under a different coach….it just seems strange. Demon1 has been the prime example of this, coaches have not used him to his full potential — whether it’s the meta not allowing them or the player facing private situations making them unable to do so. 

With Chet backing up Itopata, he’s backing up a fellow coach while subtly pinning the blame on Demon1 — the reason why the ‘super team’ didn’t do well. It’s still a strange move considering this may affect his chances of snagging a good contract. Especially when Chet had bought out part of Demon1’s contract previously as well. So, do you think Chet was justified in this? What do you think Demon1 will do next?

Written By: Sarah Dar (Writing Intern, India Today Gaming)