Talon Esports in Crisis Amid Reports of Financial Mishaps

Talon Esports organization has just got everyone shaking in disbelief, as their name surfaced as the primary source of controversy on social media, primarily concerning financial matters. And the organization has been facing backlash from several professionals who previously collaborated with them.

The bad news came out when several social media accounts claimed that Talon had failed to settle outstanding payments owed to former personnel who had left the organization. The issue quickly spread among communities following Talon’s participation in various competitive scenes, particularly in Dota 2, Valorant, and Honor of Kings.

The situation escalated when Nemesis CEO Chris Evans (Hedgedhog) shared details on his X account, revealing a conversation with Talon CEO Sean Zhang. In the exchange, Zhang admitted to borrowing money from Hedgedhog, which was allegedly used to cover Talon’s operational shortfalls. Hedgedhog stated that he had yet to receive the interest promised on the loan, which was supposed to be repaid within 2.5 weeks.

In response, the Hong Kong-based organization issued a statement acknowledging the circulating allegations and confirming that there had been delays in payments to some players. They attributed this to unforeseen hold-ups in prize money distribution from tournaments they had participated in.

However, they claimed to have sufficient budget to resolve the issue and committed to settling all outstanding payments by September 30 at the latest.

“We acknowledge the recent allegations around our financial situation. Talon regards matter of governance seriously, and we are committed to addressing them in a responsible and transparent manner.

We recognize that this may cause distress among our players, and we have taken active steps to resolve this. All outstanding payments will be processed to all former players by 6 September 2025 and current players by 30 September,” the organization stated in its official release.

Zhang also confirmed that his team had reached out to relevant parties to resolve the payment issues, citing time zone differences as a reason for the delays. However, Hedgedhog, the main star of this drama, responded that he had yet to receive his dues and vowed to continue highlighting the issue until Talon fulfills its obligations.

Besides Hedgedhog, players like Tri “Jhocam” Kuncoro and Carlo “Kuku” Palad from the Dota 2 division, have also spoken out online about the payment issues. Jhocam is reportedly considering leaving Talon, while Kuku had already departed in early August.