iG International becomes latest organisation to leave Apex

iG International has become the latest organisation to withdraw from the Apex Legends Global Series. This comes after the Chinese based org reviewed their sustainability in the game.

They leave Cameron "Noiises" Walker, Jake "JMW" Walters and Martin "Graceful" Wongphrom looking for a new home ahead of the second split of the EMEA Pro League.

iG International join a growing list of teams that have decided to withdraw from Apex Legends. Many teams have cited financial pressure, and a lack of revenue sharing with EA, as a reason for their departure.

iG International shared the following statement on Twitter.

While less direct than some of the other departures from Apex in recent months iG's statement adds to the growing concern that the ALGS isn't doing enough maintain a sustainable esport.

G2, Cloud9, Spacestation Gaming, Renegades and Team Liquid had all cited financial reasons when departing Apex. Unlike some other games, the ALGS does not have a revenue share model.

Team skins were rumoured, and even leaked, but they have yet to materialise. While no official statement has ever been made, there has been several rumblings that EA pulled the plug on these. The plan, so it is claimed, is that these skins would have been sold in game with some of the revenue going towards the organisations in the game.

It would appear that this being cancelled has triggered a series of departures from the esport. It should also be acknowledged that the global economy is going through a significant period of difficulty, but Apex is clearly first on the chopping block for many teams.

Speaking exclusively to esports.gg Noiises reflected on his time with iG International.

"[The experience with iG was] Positive overall. I definitely feel like I could have achieved more but the experience was great. [iG] leaving the scene is sad but the reasons behind it are a more tragic story, which is basically that being in apex for most orgs is just not financially viable".

Noiises thinks that much more should be done by the ALGS to keep teams involved in the scene.

"More skins, more advertising, they clearly get plenty of views when large tournaments are happening, and yet it feels like these viewers dont translate to a healthy esport where orgs aren't hemorrhaging money."

With the EMEA region lacking tournament infrastructure, income can be difficult for even top players in EMEA. Noiises admitted that this decision will have a big impact on his Pro League preparation and his future in the game.

"There is a lot of uncertainty going forward, as I have commitments that require income, so the future is very uncertain for me"

Regardless of their status as a signed team or not, the now former iG International roster is one of the top teams in the EMEA region.

They have consistently qualified for LAN events since their return. While they never quite found their form on the global stage, their performance at Raleigh should not go unnoticed.

iG International were one of the teams hit hardest by COVID-19 in Raleigh. They lost their IGL days before the tournament. Despite this, they still made finals. However, that was not all iG would have to face in Raleigh. A second COVID positive test meant that their team manager had to step in as a substitute before finals.

iG finished 19th overall, but will take pride in that result all things considered.

In their domestic Pro League, iG International have been one of the most consistent teams in the region. Noiises is a top tier 'Zone' IGL, and iG have developed an incredibly clear identity that consistently delivered results across several Apex Legends metas.

Noiises and iG based their strategies largely around the use of Crypto. Using the drone legend to scan beacons remotely, scout for space and assist with very strong positioning in engagements.

The Season 16 update of Apex Legends will shake up the competitive meta for zone teams. Crypto does not have access to the new 'Ring Consoles'. This means that the strategies used by Noiises and others will need a total rethink.

Despite this change, the ex-iG roster will once again be competing at the top of the EMEA region. JMW has experience winning LAN titles, and Graceful is one of the most experienced competitors in the game.

That is why it's no surprise to see the roster are planning to stick together, and find a new organisation if they can. The ALGS Pro League is set to resume at some point in March, with the next LAN event taking place in early June.

This will be a key benchmark for the EMEA region. Unlike NA, where most of the organisation departures have been thus far, EMEA has a much smaller infrastructure. Beyond ALGS, there are very few third party tournaments. The region also has significantly less sizeable streamers, and therefore gets less attention.

In NA, when notable teams have been dropped, they have sometimes managed to find new homes. If a top team in the EMEA region can also find the backing of a new organisation, that will help ease the growing concerns about the future of the ALGS.

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