G2 Esports has moved Jonah “JonahP” Pulice off its active VALORANT roster and promoted Andrej “babybay” Francisty into the lineup ahead of the VCT 2026 cycle. The decision closes a chapter that began when The Guard core was picked up by G2 and ends a four-year run that produced regional dominance, but fell short on the international stage. Below we explain what changed, how the announcement unfolded, and what it means for both JonahP and G2.
G2’s current VALORANT identity traces back to the Guard core that rose through the Americas scene. The roster won Ascension before circumstances caused the players to be signed by G2, and their performance over the years has kept them in VCT thanks to their consistency and continued Champions qualifications. Despite 2025 being one of their best years, with the team winning all three Americas trophies from Kickoff to Stage 2, they don’t have a Masters or Champions win yet, although they were incredibly close at Masters Bangkok.
This lack of international success was probably a key cause for roster changes for the team, although it is hard to pinpoint anyone on G2 as the weak link, least of all JonahP.
Earlier this month G2 announced JonahP’s removal from the active roster and listed him as inactive; the organization later confirmed that babybay, who had been subbing earlier in the year for Leaf, would be promoted to the starting five ahead of Red Bull Home Ground, the team’s first off season appearance. Babybay had already seen competitive play with G2 as a substitute during the VCT Americas Stage 2 window, and his familiarity with the squad made the elevation a straightforward internal decision.
The timing of JonahP’s departure, effectively coming after the bulk of major offseason moves, left many surprised. The player had been part of the team for nearly four years; the removal happened just as wider rostermania around VCT was concluding, meaning his window to find an alternate partner team before the new season was already compromised. It is not yet known whether JonahP will be able to sign with another organization for 2026.
For a player widely praised for his flexible role play and multi-role flex ability, the uncertainty has sparked debate about how elite organizations make roster moves. His stats for someone who played so many different kinds of roles are easily in the top ten globally, and his removal means that Leaf has stepped up into the flex-initiator role while babybay performs as the team’s sentinel.
Jonah himself stated that, “the process and timeline that was prioritized didn’t put me in the best position for that, which I’ll go into more at a better time for me.” He also mentioned he ended this year as a top 10 rated player globally on 3 agents, and leads in assists both aggregately and at internationals.
Hey everyone. I wish this announcement also came with news of me joining a team excited to get to see you all at VCT, but unfortunately the process and timeline that was prioritized didn’t put me in the best position for that, which I’ll go into more at a better time for me.
— G2 JonahP (@JonahP_) November 14, 2025
The public reactions around JonahP’s removal included a pointed post from his partner, who described the manner of the change as “shameful” and said that most members of the G2 staff and roster did not reach out personally, singling out Alexander “jawgemo” Mor as the lone teammate who did.
JonahP posted that he would “tell the whole story,” indicating there may be more context to come; until he speaks further, many questions about the internal process will remain open. Community reaction has ranged from sympathy and calls for explanations to debate over how organizations balance competitive change with player welfare.
G2’s 2025 campaign included clear domestic success and several high points that had the organization and its fans calling the period a ‘golden era’. Still, that language drew criticism when placed against the reality of international results: despite dominating domestically, the team did not secure a major international trophy in the period most fans had expected them to convert that regional form into global silverware. Critics argued the disparity between regional dominance and international outcomes factored into management’s decision to alter the roster going into 2026.
That domestic-international mismatch has become a recurring motif in VCT discourse: teams can manage regional domination while still falling short on the world stage, and organizations often respond to that gap with high-stakes roster changes. G2’s move is consistent with that pattern.
Complicating the optics of JonahP’s exit is G2’s recent victory at Red Bull Home Ground 2025. The team claimed the event title with a convincing Grand Final performance with a 3-0 win over NRG, as well as wins over international teams like Fnatic and strong individual showings. That off-season win reinforced the notion that G2 remained capable of elite results and after years of struggle granted them their first victory on a global stage.
G2 players themselves framed the victory as a quality offseason achievement while stressing that their priorities lie with sustained success across the full VCT calendar. However, this event did have a format that mostly consisted of best-of-one matches across the event, aside from the upper/lower/grand finals. Therefore, it remains to be seen how G2’s new roster will do during the normal season.
For JonahP, the immediate priority is clarity about his competitive future. Given his reputation as a top flex and his international experience, major organizations will likely be interested in him, but timing is a constraint: most rosters have been announced or finalized heading into the season and opportunities may be limited.
The broader VCT community will be watching both parties closely. JonahP’s next public statements may reveal more about the internal decision-making, and babybay’s initial performances in the starting five will be scrutinized as an early test of whether this change moves G2 closer to the international trophy the organization seeks.
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