Demon1 joins ENVY, replacing inspire

ENVY has benched sentinel player Hunter “inspire” Schline, replacing him with former world champion Max “Demon1” Mazanov. The move comes during VCT Americas Kickoff 2026, with Demon1 set to make his debut against Evil Geniuse, the very organization he led to a Champions title in 2023.

The decision marks an abrupt end to inspire’s tenure with the organization after being instrumental in ENVY’s return to tier-one VALORANT competition. Formerly known as BabyJ, inspire was one of the founding members of RANKERS, a creator-focused roster that dominated the Challengers scene throughout 2025. After securing Stage 2 and Stage 3 trophies, the team won Americas Ascension, earning promotion to the VCT Americas league before being acquired by ENVY in January.

“We appreciate all of his contributions to ENVY over the past year as he was integral in our return to Tier 1 VALORANT,” the organization stated. ENVY’s CEO Mike Rufail also stated that Demon1 had been signed for 1 year and that “Hunter is a special player and will always be a legend here at Envy. I want to be clear that this decision wasn’t made because he doesn’t belong in Tier 1, he absolutely does – he got us back there. We know he will fit perfectly with another team. Until he finds that team, we will continue to employ and support him on our reserve roster.”

The timing of the roster change has raised eyebrows within the community, coming just days after ENVY’s loss to Cloud9 in the middle bracket. Inspire had been a consistent performer for the squad throughout their Ascension run and into the opening weeks of Kickoff, making his removal all the more surprising to fans and analysts alike.

Demon1 Returns Full-time to the VCT

For Demon1, the signing represents another chapter in what has been a turbulent journey since his 2023 championship triumph. The American star helped Evil Geniuses capture the VALORANT Champions Los Angeles title, earning MVP honors and Breakthrough Player of the Year at the Esports Awards. His performance throughout that year, including a second-place finish at Masters Tokyo, established him as one of the game’s premier talents on agents like Jett and Astra.

However, the years that followed proved less successful. After joining NRG as part of an attempted superteam, Demon1 was released midway through the 2024 season. His subsequent move to Leviatán in 2025 ended with another disappointing exit after failing to qualify for playoffs during Stage 1. By fall 2025, Demon1 had entered free agency, even hinting at potential retirement if the right opportunity didn’t materialize, although he did sub in for DRG’s vookashu at Champions 2025.

That opportunity came unexpectedly when Cloud9 called upon him as a substitute for Francis “OXY” Hoang, who stepped away from competition following his mother’s passing. During his brief stint with C9, Demon1 showed flashes of his championship form, notably recording a stellar performance in a 2-1 victory over ENVY where he posted the highest rating among his teammates across three maps.

A Controversial Switch Mid-tournament

The move to ENVY makes Demon1 the first player to compete for two different teams in the same partnership-era tournament, and five different VCT teams overall. His new team will face Evil Geniuses in their next lower bracket match—a narrative-rich clash that sees Demon1 potentially eliminating the franchise that once elevated him to stardom. During his time with Cloud9, Demon1 primarily operated in the sentinel role, utilizing Chamber on four maps and Jett on one. This aligns perfectly with inspire’s role on ENVY, suggesting Demon1 will slot directly into the same position within the team’s structure. The roster now features Demon1 alongside Evan “Eggsterr” Grady, Matteo “P0PPIN” Weber, Daniel “Rossy” Abedrabbo, and Angelo “keznit” Mori.

The rapid turnaround from his Cloud9 stint to ENVY presents unique challenges for Demon1. The former champion acknowledged the toll of competing in back-to-back matches during his Cloud9 run, admitting he had gone over 40 hours without sleep before one series. Despite the fatigue, he delivered clutch performances, including a 40-kill showing on the opening map against ENVY—ironically, the team he would soon join. The move reunites Demon1 with Rossy, his former Leviatán teammate, creating both familiarity and potential chemistry concerns given their previous team’s struggles.

Join us in welcoming @Demon1___ to @Envy

He will make his debut with our team tomorrow against Evil Geniuses. #VCTAMERICAS pic.twitter.com/vzD2QFgG70

— ENVY (@Envy) February 6, 2026

Community Backlash and ENVY’s Future

The decision to bench inspire has sparked considerable debate within the VALORANT community. Many fans have questioned the logic of removing a founding member who played a crucial role in the team’s Ascension campaign, particularly when his individual performances remained solid. Speculation about internal team issues has circulated, though neither ENVY nor inspire has publicly addressed such concerns.

For ENVY, the gamble centers on whether Demon1 can recapture the form that made him a world champion. The organization struggled in the opening rounds of Kickoff, and management clearly believes that Demon1’s championship pedigree and mechanical skill can provide the spark needed for a deep tournament run. The immediate test will come against Evil Geniuses, where Demon1 will face former teammates in a high-pressure elimination scenario.