Carlos ‘Ocelote’ Rodríguez, the co-founder and ex-CEO of esports organisation G2 Esports, has joined the Board of Directors of Farcana Studio, a Web3 gaming studio based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Rodríguez, who had to resign from G2 last year, will take on the role of ‘active advisor’ to help grow and scale Farcana, the studio’s third-person shooter video game.
Rodríguez was a prominent figure in competitive gaming, first as a player and then as the CEO of G2 Esports, one of the best-known esports organisations in the world.
Rodriguez had worked as CEO of G2 since 2014 but left the organisation in September 2022 amidst a wave of controversy after posting a video of himself partying with controversial influencer Andrew Tate. Rodriguez was first suspended from G2 without pay, before leaving fully, after which he defended his actions and association with Tate.
Shortly after his departure as CEO, G2 Esports put out a statement stating it does “not support any form of misogyny”. Since leaving, Rodríguez has doubled down on espousing remarks on social media that many consider controversial and misogynistic.
Rodríguez has been relatively quiet on the esports and gaming front since leaving G2, though he started a venture called ‘The Circle‘, a subscription-based club where Rodríguez claims to offer financial growth and business secrets to customers.
Rodríguez said that Farcana appealed to him in large part due to his admiration for its founder, Illman Shazhaev. Shazhaev has worked on several health tech and infrastructure projects in the past, including being the co-founder of a startup that uses AI to help prevent respiratory diseases.
Farcana is the developer of a video game of the same name, a four versus four ability-based shooter. The game had its first share of alpha testers earlier this year, and incorporates Web3 elements such as Bitcoin-based cash prizes. The company recently partnered with Animoca brands, and has plans to create its own token to further increase the Web3 connection.
In a release, Rodríguez noted that he believes Farcana has a bright future and is happy to help them achieve their dreams. It is yet unclear what duties or how big of a role will Rodriguez play in Farcana, a company that recently brought on George Dobrodeev, Marketing Director at Epic Games, as an advisor as well.
Carlos Rodríguez, board advisor to Farcana Studio, said in a press statement: “The same way my investors and partners saw something in me many years back, I see something in Ilman. He is an outstanding human being and has formed a team of superstars. I’m excited to see how high they can bring Farcana, and I can’t wait to help the team achieve their wildest dreams.
“I think Farcana is lending itself well to the gaming and AI scene as it becomes more known and respected among players experienced in shooter games. Right now the game has attracted a lot of attention but our goal is to reach the masses, on all platforms.”
