G2 Gozen, Karmine Corp, GIANT qualify for 2025 Game Changers Championship

The 2025 EMEA GC circuit has finally concluded, and the region will be represented at the Game Changers Championship by three standout squads: G2 Gozen as first seed, followed by Karmine Corp GC, and GIANTX GC, both of whom sealed their spots via circuit points. Their journeys this year were very different, and yet the end result is a formidable trio for EMEA.

A Season of Two Front-Runners: Karmine Corp GC & GIANTX GC

From the very first stage, Karmine Corp GC set the pace in EMEA after their roster rebuild with Alkyia, Glance, IGL Jiex, Safiaa, and rookie anesilia who had a standout season this year. In Stage 1 they lifted the trophy, staking their claim as the team to beat early on. Maintaining momentum, they came out on top again in Stage 2, underscoring their consistency and strength across the first half of the year. That dominance translated into circuit points, crucial in the year’s latter half, ensuring that even before Stage 3 concluded they had a clear path to qualification.

Meanwhile, GIANTX GC emerged as their most persistent challengers. While they couldn’t quite derail Karmine’s dominance in the early splits, they consistently occupied the runner-up spots. Their regular high finishes earned them a robust circuit-point total — enough to lock in the third seed for EMEA despite not topping a stage. The roster consists of Turkish GC veterans Smurfette, ness, and Eva, along with ex-G2 player Sarah, and Toki.

Thus, as Stage 3 playoffs approached, both Karmine Corp GC and GIANTX GC carried the luxury of “already qualified” mindsets thanks to their earlier work and their group stage performance — but still had something to prove. They remained formidable forces, but EMEA’s most storied team was working on their own comeback after failing to win a trophy thus far this year.

The G2 Gozen Rebuild: From Struggle to Summit

If Karmine and GIANTX were the story of consistency, G2 Gozen’s narrative was firmly one of resurgence. G2 Gozen are the most decorated team in Game Changers EMEA with several regional trophies, and the first-ever Game Changers Championship was also won by them, with mimi and Petra on this iteration of the roster as well as that first one. However, this year has been very up and down for them.

The organization embarked on a significant rebuild this season. Mid-year, they made bold changes: a roster shake-up with a new duelist Akita, benching of veteran star Petra (who had been a fixture of the team since the beginning), and a coaching change in April from Leader to Drewspark that signalled a fresh direction and renewed ambition.

G2 Gozen failed to secure top spots in the first two splits, placing 3rd and 4th, clearly below the level of Karmine and GIANTX. The rebuild appeared to still be finding its rhythm. But what changed was the timing: by Stage 3, the new roster synergy had found its stride, and the team looked reborn.

Stage 3 began with a decent start to the group stage: they placed third in the group phase, which masked what was coming. Enter the playoffs, and Gozen turned into a juggernaut. They dropped only two maps across the entire playoff run, and in the Grand Final they swept their opponents Twisted Minds 3-0 to lift the Stage 3 trophy. That dominant finish propelled them to the first seed from EMEA for the championship.

Here are your @HMGaming Highlights for the Grand Final of #VCTGameChangers EMEA Stage 3! pic.twitter.com/4K0l96rpjT

— VALORANT Esports EMEA (@valesports_emea) November 2, 2025

Akita was the MVP of the finals, with 23 first kills, 72 overall frags, and a +20 kill differential. Strong coaching, restored star power with Petra back in the mix, and the confidence of momentum all converged at precisely the right moment. For Gozen, the story of the season was less about what went wrong early, and more about how they performed when it absolutely mattered. G2 are the only team in Game Changers history to have won a regional trophy every single year, and now they have a chance at a second GCC trophy at Seoul.

Three Paths, One Destination

As the final standings were locked in, the EMEA delegation for the Game Changers Championship crystallized into three teams — each via distinct routes. G2 Gozen secured the first seed by winning Stage 3, entering the global event with a trophy and momentum. Karmine Corp GC came through by virtue of their early season dominance with two trophies and amassed circuit points as second seed. GIANTX GC rounded out the trio by steadily accumulating points through high finishes across Split 1 and Split 2, qualifying as the third seed.

EMEA’s competitive depth has grown, and these squads reflect different approaches: Gozen’s late-season explosion, Karmine’s textbook dominance, and GIANTX’s tactical perseverance. Together, they embody the region’s evolving meta, talent pool, and tactical innovation. In short: EMEA is ready to try and win another trophy.