G2 Gozen signs eva, replacing Petra, to round out 2026 roster

G2 Gozen have officially confirmed the signing of Nur “eva” Çakır, adding an experienced Turkish talent to their VALORANT Game Changers roster. The longtime GIANTX GC player joins as a direct replacement for Petra, who retired after the 2025 season following a legendary five-year run. With G2 Gozen coming off a turbulent year marked by roster instability and a top-six finish at Game Changers Championship Seoul, the move signals a fresh start as the team looks to reclaim their throne at the top of EMEA.

Eva brings championship experience and versatility

Eva arrives at G2 with deep roots in EMEA Game Changers and a strong connection to her new teammates. The Turkish player first made her mark with BBL Queens, where she competed alongside current G2 star Vania from 2022 to early 2024. Together, they helped BBL win Stage 3 of the 2023 EMEA circuit and finish 5th-6th at the 2023 Game Changers Championship in São Paulo.

After BBL Queens, eva spent a brief period with Team Falcons Vega before joining GIANTX GC in January 2025. With GIANTX, she established herself as one of the most consistent performers in the region across all three stages. The team finished second in both Stage 1 and Stage 2, narrowly falling to Karmine Corp in the grand finals on both occasions.

In Stage 3, GIANTX secured third place and qualified for GCC Seoul as EMEA’s third seed. At the championship, GIANTX lost to MIBR GC in the opening round of the main event, then went down to KRÜ BLAZE, placing 9th-10th overall at the event. Despite the early exit in Seoul, eva’s 2025 campaign showcased her ability to perform consistently at the highest level. Her reunion with Vania, one of Europe’s premier best players, adds an intriguing dynamic to the new-look G2 roster, as the duo will now compete together once again.

A challenging 2025 season for G2 Gozen

The 2025 season proved to be one of the most difficult in G2 Gozen’s history. For the first time since their founding, the team failed to win a regional trophy in the first two stages of competition. G2 finished third in Stage 1 and fourth in Stage 2, their worst-ever result in an EMEA Game Changers event.

The root of their struggles stemmed from repeated role changes. G2 began the year with Petra on initiator, but by the fourth week of Stage 1, she had been shifted to controller. Following their disappointing third-place finish, team management felt the need to make further adjustments, moving Petra to duelist and Vania from duelist to controller—a change that neither player was comfortable with.

When Petra declined to trial for the duelist role permanently, G2 benched her in late April and signed Esllene “Akita” Xu, one of Europe’s most promising young duelists who had posted the highest ACS in Stage 1 while playing for ZERANCE Mint. However, the changes failed to produce the desired results, as G2 fell to fourth place in Stage 2. With their season on the brink and qualification for Game Changers Championship in jeopardy, G2 made the decision to bring Petra back for Stage 3 and return all players to their original roles. The gamble paid off: G2 won Stage 3, secured the first seed for EMEA, and qualified for the championship in Seoul with renewed momentum.

At GCC Seoul, G2 performed admirably, defeating Nova Esports GC in the opening round before falling to Team Liquid Brazil in the upper bracket semifinals. In the lower bracket, they faced MIBR GC in an elimination match but fell 2-1, finishing in 5th-6th place. While the result was respectable, it marked consecutive years of falling short of expectations on the biggest stage.

Following the tournament, Petra announced her retirement on December 8, bringing an end to one of the most storied careers in Game Changers history. The Dutch veteran leaves the scene with 10 trophies, including the inaugural 2022 Game Changers Championship, and a legacy as one of the founding pillars of the women’s competitive ecosystem.

Reunited to win it all 🏆

Welcome @evanurfps to G2 Gozen pic.twitter.com/h1A0pWbnaq

— G2 VALORANT (@G2VALORANT) December 17, 2025

What this means for G2 Gozen

With eva’s addition, G2 Gozen’s roster for the 2026 season now consists of:

• Michaela “mimi” Lintrup
• Amy “amy” Lai
• Aleyna “Vania” Keskin
• Nur “eva” Çakır
• Esllene “Akita” Xu
• Drew “DrewSpark” Spark-Whitworth (Head Coach)

For G2, the stakes are high. As the only team in Game Changers history to win a regional trophy every single year since the circuit’s inception, their failure to claim silverware in Stages 1 and 2 of 2025 marked a rare stumble. Now, with a fresh face in eva and the core of mimi and Vania still intact, the German organization will look to reclaim their place at the summit of EMEA and pursue a second Game Changers Championship title.