NRG Ethan on re-signing until 2027: “NRG has treated me well, so I see no reason to leave”

NRG Ethan “Ethan” Arnold, one of the most accomplished in-game leaders (IGLs) in VALORANT, is gearing up for the challenges of the upcoming season, but first, he’s taking a moment to recharge. As the only player to have ever won VALORANT Champions twice, Ethan has proven himself at the highest level.

In an exclusive interview with esports.gg, he opens up about re-signing with NRG through 2027, his new teammate, s0m’s hiatus, the team’s preparations for the next season, and his enduring passion for the game.

Very few people in the world can call themselves a VALORANT Champions winner, now imagine doing it twice. NRG Ethan is the only player who can claim that feat.

After his victory over Fnatic at VALORANT Champions 2025, Ethan re-signed with NRG through 2027. “The most obvious reason is staying with a successful team,” Ethan explained. “This would be the first team, the first core, I’ve stayed with going into the next season, which is a big deal. NRG has treated me well, so I see no reason to leave."

After a great season that culminated with the biggest trophy once again in his hands, Ethan described this year as a total revolution. “It was awesome. It was a rollercoaster. At the start, it was very rough, not making it to any events, and a lot of roster changes. It was pretty hard for me, but in the end, it all worked out.”

“If you’re on a new team, building chemistry is the most important thing for an offseason event. But for a team like ours, we already have that. The meta is also a big factor since it’s always changing,” NRG Ethan explained.

With a team of three rookies and two veterans, s0m was actually the biggest surprise for the IGL. “I think s0m completely changed, or maybe just showed us a different side of him, at Champs that we’ve never seen before. All the rookies played out of their minds, but that’s not a surprise. They’re insane; everyone saw that.”

Now that s0m is stepping away from competitive play, we asked Ethan about his teammate’s future plans. “Now that s0m is taking a break, can we expect him to fully commit to a fishing career?” Ethan laughed. “I hope so, because he loves it. He’s always talking about it. If he doesn’t, I’d be disappointed.”

At the time of this interview, NRG had not yet announced their fifth player following s0m's hiatus announcement. However, we now know it is Georgio “keiko” Sanassy, formerly of Team Liquid. Without saying his name, NRG Ethan described him as a big addition to the roster.

"I think he will do nothing but good for the team. He brings a lot of things we would have been missing without s0m, so he fills in those shoes a bit. He also brings his own style, obviously,” the IGL said.

Separating personal life from professional life can be tricky sometimes. For NRG Ethan, there are certain routines he follows to stay fresh every day. “I’m a very routine-based person going into the season, so I know what keeps me consistent. I just have to get back into it as we get closer to the season start,” he explained.

Outside of the VALORANT world, Ethan feels he has already achieved many of his personal goals. “I think my life revolves around Valorant. So all the other goals I’ve set outside of the game, I feel like I’ve already reached to a certain extent,” he added.

As for a third Champions title, Ethan is eager to make it happen. “That’s the goal.” After so many years playing FPS, we asked what still excites him about the game. “I don’t think I would ever commit as much to VALORANT if it wasn’t for team play and things like that, just the competitiveness. You know, reaching a goal not just for myself, but also bringing people with me,” Ethan explained.

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