Games G2 Esports’ First All-Female ‘League Of Legends’ Team Targets Mixed Competition Matt Gardner Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. A British writer covering indie and retro gaming, esports, and more. New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Got it! Sep 1, 2022, 12:00pm EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin G2 Hel, G2 Esports' first-ever all-female League of Legends team, signals the company's desire for . . . [+] mixed competitions at the highest level. G2 Esports In its desire to empower players of any gender to compete alongside and against one another in mixed leagues in the coming months and years, G2 Esports has today unveiled G2 Hel: its first-ever all-female League of Legends team. The five-strong squad–G2’s second all-female unit, following the creation of its G2 Gozen Valorant team in 2021–sees the company literally doubling down on its commitment to improving female representation in esports, creating more role models for female gamers, and also reflect the company’s desire to hire the best-performing gamers, irrespective of their gender identity. Named after the daughter of Loki from Norse mythology who serves as the overseer of the underworld, G2 Hel follows the organization’s new team naming system, which is based on the names of female warriors or mythological figures; Gozen took its name from Tomoe Gozen, the 12th-century onna-musha . The squad comprises some of the most successful and well-known female esports talents in League of Legends , including: Maya “Caltys” Henckel (Sweden, 20); Agnė “Karina” Ivaškevičiūtė (Lithuania, 22); Alena “TIFA” Maurer (Germany, 28); Ève “Colomblbl” Monvoisin (France, 23); and Olivia “Olizia” Nnenna Calistus (Sweden, 20). TIFA, who has been active in professional League of Legends since Season 2 way back in 2011–and a huge advocate for female opportunities in the League ecosystem–said joining G2 was a “childhood dream come true,” adding “I get to do it with the best teammates and staff I could ask for. ” MORE FOR YOU ‘Demon Slayer’ Season 2 Finally Has An Actual 2021 Release Date Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Not A Sure Thing, Says Director ‘Genshin Impact’ Still Refuses To Increase Anniversary Rewards, Despite Fan Outcry Alena “TIFA” Maurer, one of the five members of G2 Hel. G2 Esports She continued: “This is a huge milestone that breaks stereotypes, full of opportunities and possibilities for female gamers and the esports sector in general – one we’ve all been hoping and waiting for for a long time. “This simultaneously encourages the next generation of female gamers to embrace their dreams without restrictions or limits which will hopefully see more and more female pro gamers coming through. ” Meanwhile, Caltys–the highest ELO League of Legends woman player in EU West, who has the most experience in mixed rosters of anyone in G2 Hel–says her long-term goal is to play in mixed rosters at the highest level, while putting an end to the negative experiences she has faced in championships, ranging from “gender inequity slurs” directed at her by her competition, as well as negative online groups created to disparage her during official matches. “While the female scene in League of Legends is still relatively small, G2 is taking a leap in picking up our roster and paving the way for more to follow,” Caltys said. “Having G2, one of the biggest esports organizations in the world, invest in the scene helps show the world that there are women that play the game on a competitive level. I hope that this will open more opportunities for women to enter esports and inspire more young girls to start playing competitively. ” Carlos ‘ocelote’ Rodriguez, founder and CEO of G2 Esports, said: “We took Valorant by storm with the G2 Gozen team, which includes five of the most gifted and entertaining players who happen to be females. “You should expect nothing less from G2 Hel. We will dominate competitively, all while having fun the G2 way. ” Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website . Matt Gardner Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.