French esports organisation Gentle Mates has officially renewed the contract of Fortnite star Vanya “Vanyak3k” Sakach, confirming he’ll remain with the team for the upcoming Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) 2026 season.

VANYABUBU RESTE À LA MAISON ! #M8WIN

Notre aventure continue avec @vanyak3kk pour la saison FNCS 2026 pic.twitter.com/UnKgIF98dV

— Gentle Mates (@gentlemates) October 15, 2025

A Key Player Stays Home

The announcement came on October 15th, with Gentle Mates posting on X.

Vanyak3k has been one of Europe’s standout Fortnite players throughout 2025, consistently landing strong finishes on both regional and international stages. His performance peaked at the FNCS 2025 Global Championship, where he secured a second-place finish and a $100,000 (approx. £74,399) prize alongside Wilmer “Pixie” Juriander from Team HavoK and teammate Marius “MariusCOW” Wendt from Gentle Mates.

A Period of Change for Gentle Mates

The re-signing marks a stabilising move for Gentle Mates after a wave of roster changes earlier in the week. On October 14th, the organisation parted ways with six players, including Danila “Malibuca” Iakovenko, who had finished second at Europe’s Major 1 Grand Final back in February.

Encore merci pour tout 🩷

🇫🇷 @PodaSaiFN
🇷🇺 @SwizzY281
🇺🇦 @P1ngfnz
🇫🇷 @xsweezefn
🇷🇺 @MalibucaFN
🇫🇷 @ketzxn pic.twitter.com/D0SxvcuFYx

— Gentle Mates (@gentlemates) October 14, 2025

In addition, Florian “Ketzon” Besson, the team’s long-time Fortnite coach, announced his retirement. Ketzon had been instrumental in building Gentle Mates’ Fortnite division since its debut in 2023, helping shape it into one of Europe’s premier squads.

Gentle Mates’ Rise Across Esports

Founded in 2023, Gentle Mates has quickly become a powerhouse in French esports. The organisation made waves in 2024 when it entered the Call of Duty League, taking over the Los Angeles franchise slot. The upcoming 2026 CDL season will mark the first full year under its full management, with rumours swirling about a potential rebrand and relocation.

Gentle Mates has also expanded into Counter-Strike 2, earning a surprise invitation to ESL Pro League Season 22 earlier this year. The team came close to qualifying for the StarLadder Budapest Major in November, proving its growing presence across multiple titles.

Re-signing Vanyak3k sends a clear message: the organisation intends to keep building on its strong momentum heading into 2026, solidifying its position among Europe’s top multi-title esports organisations.

A Bright Future Ahead

With Vanyak3k staying “at home,” Gentle Mates’ Fortnite roster remains anchored by one of the scene’s most consistent performers. As FNCS 2026 looms, fans can expect more podium finishes, highlight-reel plays, and a continued rise for both the player and the organisation that believed in him from the start.

The post Gentle Mates Re-Signs Vanyak3k for FNCS 2026 Season appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

It’s a rough day for French VALORANT fans, Gentle Mates have officially been relegated from VCT EMEA and won’t be able to fight their way back through Ascension either. That’s right, their time in the top-tier league has come to a close, and they may not even return to the VALORANT scene at all.

A harsh ending to a hopeful story

Gentle Mates, also known as M8, came into VCT EMEA with a fair bit of hype. Backed by French YouTube star Squeezie, the team earned their promotion after taking down Apeks in the 2023 Ascension final. It was a huge moment, not just for the players, but for French VALORANT as a whole.

But staying at the top is a whole different challenge. Over the past two years, Gentle Mates have struggled to find their rhythm. In 2024, they couldn’t make it out of groups in any stage. And this year hasn’t been much better. Their overall record? Just 3 wins in 13 matches. Ouch.

C’est la fin pour nous en VCT… pic.twitter.com/JWTiI4MewB

— Gentle Mates (@gentlemates) August 7, 2025

The loss that sealed it

The final nail came on August 7, when Gentle Mates faced off against GIANTX in what was essentially a last-chance match. They started off strong, taking the first map thanks to some solid plays from ComeBack and even leading 9-3 on the second. But as the sides flipped, so did the match.

GIANTX brought the heat, with ara absolutely popping off on Jett. They stole back the second map, then steamrolled the decider with a dominant 13-4 on Haven. And with that, Gentle Mates’ VCT hopes were snuffed out for good.

🚨 Gentle Mates have officially been relegated from #VCTEMEA and will not be able to compete at Ascension to regain their slot for next season

Gentle Mates went 3-10 across Kickoff, Stage 1, and Stage 2 with one series remaining pic.twitter.com/bPoj9dWmTu

— Valorant News (@ValorINTEL) August 7, 2025

No Ascension, no comeback

You might be thinking, “can’t they just requalify through Ascension?”
Not this time.

Under Riot’s system, teams promoted through Ascension only get to stay in VCT if they hit certain targets, like making playoffs or finishing top 8 in Championship Points. Gentle Mates hit neither. With just 1 point on the board and a bottom-of-the-table finish, they don’t even qualify for this October’s Ascension tournament.

In short: they’re out, and there’s no lifeline.

Will they come back?

That’s the big question. After the match, Squeezie hinted that Gentle Mates might not return to VALORANT at all. He was quoted saying there’s a “very strong, massive chance” the team won’t compete next year. That wouldn’t be a huge shock, running a top-level esports team takes massive investment, and without Riot partnership or Tier 1 status, the costs might not be worth it.

Two teams down, one big question

With both Gentle Mates and Apeks relegated back-to-back, it raises a serious point:

Is the VCT system too punishing for new teams?

Two back-to-back Ascension winners, two relegations, no second chances. It’s a brutal reminder of how cutthroat the VALORANT esports scene has become.

What’s next?

For now, Gentle Mates are set to return to the Challengers circuit, IF they decide to stick around. Whether they rebuild and fight their way back or call it a day, only time will tell. But for the fans, especially those in France, it’s a disappointing end to a once-promising journey.

The post Gentle Mates Relegated from VCT EMEA – Tough Blow for France appeared first on Shane the Gamer.