Another professional, Pengu, recently retired from pro-gaming – only to soon uncover a “conspiracy”:
Rainbow Six: Pros allegedly exploited for years until one of the best players blew the whistle
The team apologizes for the situation and the stress it has caused:
Despite everything, Kendrew thanks cowana. He says he has never been a part of a team or organization that is so close to the players. The whole situation has been handled very professionally despite differences.
At the moment, he is looking for new opportunities – either as an IGL, analyst, or coach for a new team. The transfer window opens on August 25. Until then, Kendrew now has the opportunity to find something new.
Another professional, Pengu, recently retired from pro-gaming – only to soon uncover a “conspiracy”:
Rainbow Six: Pros allegedly exploited for years until one of the best players blew the whistle
He addressed these problems, but the team only told him to stick with it. Kendrew says: “I was pulled in different directions to be someone I am not.” Then eventually, the dismissal came.
All of this happened between two match days. At the start of his contract, he had requested that there be transparency at all times to avoid such a situation. He had already been previously benched from the professional team Natus Vincere, again without any notice.
Kendrew also talks in the video about how he often felt excluded. There were meetings and discussions of which he was unaware:
“People were sitting in different Teamspeaks, talking, and as soon as I showed up, they froze as if they were surprised I was there. Then they left as soon as they could.”
The cohesion among the other four players in the team was stronger than with him. The others were “friends,” and thus, the separation from him was easier for them than accepting criticism.
Team is supposed to endorse toxic behavior
Kendrew has frequently addressed problems and also acknowledged his own mistakes, but he feels like a scapegoat:
“Instead of helping me resolve these issues, they only complained and talked behind my back. I accept that I am not consistent, but to use that as a reason to kick me out after my coach tells me in the same week that I am the best IGL in the world feels very, very strange.”
Kendrew further notes that all of this comes from a team that allows its players to tell each other to kill themselves whenever something is criticized in the game. It was also said to be customary to make fun of other team members with negative performances to feel better about oneself.
The whole situation has weighed heavily on him, so much so that in the end, he was just “tired.” Kendrew is now relieved that he could get all this off his chest and can now look forward.
cowana supports openness, even apologizes
This is how the team responds: In response to the video, cowana Gaming released a statement on Twitter. There it says: “We fully support your decision to speak out and thank you for staying true to yourself and keeping everything professional.”
The team apologizes for the situation and the stress it has caused:
Despite everything, Kendrew thanks cowana. He says he has never been a part of a team or organization that is so close to the players. The whole situation has been handled very professionally despite differences.
At the moment, he is looking for new opportunities – either as an IGL, analyst, or coach for a new team. The transfer window opens on August 25. Until then, Kendrew now has the opportunity to find something new.
Another professional, Pengu, recently retired from pro-gaming – only to soon uncover a “conspiracy”:
Rainbow Six: Pros allegedly exploited for years until one of the best players blew the whistle
A professional team in Rainbow Six Siege has put one of its players “on the bench,” Luke “Kendrew” Kendrew. He was supposed to play an important role as a captain, but apparently, he did not fulfill it well enough — because he was not mean enough, as he himself says.
This is the situation:
- cowana Gaming is a professional team in Rainbow Six Siege led by the German organization cowana Marketing.
- The team has celebrated many successes, including first places in some Challenger Leagues in 2020 and a third place in the EU League 2021 (Stage 1).
- Team captain Kendrew has now been benched, meaning he no longer plays.
- In a video, Kendrew explains: It is because he was not mean and strict enough.
Why did Kendrew have to go? The team did not provide an official reason why Kendrew had to be benched. In a video posted by the professional himself, he names the main reason as his leadership in the team not being consistent enough.
Kendrew was the IGL of the team (for “In-Game Leader,” the team captain). As such, he is responsible for making calls in his team and coordinating the other players. He explains that he allegedly did not fulfill the role well enough:
The only criticism I am aware of is that I was not strict enough. They wanted me to call people out for their bullshit and to basically command them around the map. […] It is not in my nature to be any form of dictator. That’s just not who I am. But the coaches told me: Hold people accountable. […] So I did.
But that brought about problems. […] Either I complained too much, people discussed, or went silent in the middle of a round. […] But the problem persisted as long as I can remember.
He addressed these problems, but the team only told him to stick with it. Kendrew says: “I was pulled in different directions to be someone I am not.” Then eventually, the dismissal came.
All of this happened between two match days. At the start of his contract, he had requested that there be transparency at all times to avoid such a situation. He had already been previously benched from the professional team Natus Vincere, again without any notice.
Kendrew also talks in the video about how he often felt excluded. There were meetings and discussions of which he was unaware:
“People were sitting in different Teamspeaks, talking, and as soon as I showed up, they froze as if they were surprised I was there. Then they left as soon as they could.”
The cohesion among the other four players in the team was stronger than with him. The others were “friends,” and thus, the separation from him was easier for them than accepting criticism.
Team is supposed to endorse toxic behavior
Kendrew has frequently addressed problems and also acknowledged his own mistakes, but he feels like a scapegoat:
“Instead of helping me resolve these issues, they only complained and talked behind my back. I accept that I am not consistent, but to use that as a reason to kick me out after my coach tells me in the same week that I am the best IGL in the world feels very, very strange.”
Kendrew further notes that all of this comes from a team that allows its players to tell each other to kill themselves whenever something is criticized in the game. It was also said to be customary to make fun of other team members with negative performances to feel better about oneself.
The whole situation has weighed heavily on him, so much so that in the end, he was just “tired.” Kendrew is now relieved that he could get all this off his chest and can now look forward.
cowana supports openness, even apologizes
This is how the team responds: In response to the video, cowana Gaming released a statement on Twitter. There it says: “We fully support your decision to speak out and thank you for staying true to yourself and keeping everything professional.”
The team apologizes for the situation and the stress it has caused:
Despite everything, Kendrew thanks cowana. He says he has never been a part of a team or organization that is so close to the players. The whole situation has been handled very professionally despite differences.
At the moment, he is looking for new opportunities – either as an IGL, analyst, or coach for a new team. The transfer window opens on August 25. Until then, Kendrew now has the opportunity to find something new.
Another professional, Pengu, recently retired from pro-gaming – only to soon uncover a “conspiracy”:
Rainbow Six: Pros allegedly exploited for years until one of the best players blew the whistle
