Not all the people who participate in the games are well prepared and skilled from the get go, and people definitely wouldn't let go of a loser just as they don't let go of a champion. When the loser and the champion play together? Now that's a whole clusterfuck of insecurity for them. Most of these losers quit, but Elliott is one of the few that stood his ground, despite him really just wanting to stop participating overall. Pathfinder, on the other hand, is trying to help his friend out, despite being that one champion that throws the shadow on Elliott. Nothing is working out in any of their favors. Chaos ensues.