No German organization in the VCT: EMEA and hardly any chances in the Challengers tournaments. But in the Game Changers, one German team is competitive on the European stage: SK Nebula. Head coach ‘CREA’ looks back on the season.
When Charles ‘CREA’ Beauvois became head coach of SK Nebula in January 2025, he knew little about the scene. “I had previously focused on Challengers France,” he admits in an interview with eSport: “I didn’t know exactly what to expect.”
But for the Cologne-based organization, the Frenchman, who was previously under contract with Mandatory, proves to be a stroke of luck. Under his leadership, SK Nebula, which has been sponsored by Telekom since its inception, develops into a force to be reckoned with in Europe. As soon as the roster is finalized, it’s clear that the Game Changers EMEA are within reach. And indeed, the team qualifies on its first attempt.
“We knew about the quality of the team, so we weren’t surprised when we qualified straight away. Of course we were happy. But we knew that even bigger challenges were coming,” says Beauvois. The team no longer wanted to just play along, they wanted to be at the forefront.
Suddenly in the race for the World Cup
SK Nebula made one statement after another at the Game Changers events: fourth place at the start, bronze in Stage 2, and a statement victory against G2 Gozen, Europe’s flagship team with two former world champions in its lineup. From Contenders mediocrity to World Championship underdog—a rapid development.
“Expectations were huge ahead of the final main event. We knew we could qualify for Seoul,” says Beauvois. To get the most out of the players, the team decided on a tactical realignment. But the bold move was not rewarded, and they ended up in sixth place. “I don’t regret the decision,” says the coach. “We always believed that this was the right way to go.”
And the fact that sixth place is considered a setback at all shows just how far SK Nebula has come in just one year. At the same time, the competition is not taking a break, reports Beauvois: “The level of the league has increased enormously. Every main event is getting more difficult, all teams are getting better.”
DACH dominance is not enough for the coach
At the national level, SK Nebula is the team to beat: three splits in the Queens series, three first places; twice the team has not been defeated on any map. “We built our team to compete at the highest European level,” says Beauvois. That’s why they relied on experienced players – duelist Tina ‘Joliinaa’ Ageli even brought World Cup experience to the table.
Nevertheless, they always took the regional league seriously: “Of course, Project Queens isn’t as competitive as Game Changers. But the regional leagues are extremely important for developing players and bringing new talent into the scene.”
For Beauvois himself, only one thing counts: “My goal is always to win. No matter what’s going on around me.” So the ambition is there – all that’s missing is the big title itself. But even without it, SK Nebula is already the most successful German Valorant team in 2025.
