The Exciting Offseason of VALORANT: A Look at the North American Partnered Teams
The VALORANT offseason leading into the first year of the partnership ecosystem has been full of surprises. We have seen high-profile player moves and the formation of new rosters, all building up to the highly anticipated start of the 2023 season. The season will kick off with the tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil in February.
North America has been one of the most successful regions in terms of talent and viewership over the past two years. With only five NA organizations competing in the Americas league next year, it’s no surprise that there have been exciting offseason moves during free agency.
Now that the moves have been made months before the Kickoff in Brazil, it’s time to grade each of the five North American partnered teams competing in the VCT Americas league next year.
Cloud9 Surrounds Core with Yay and Zellsis
Grade: A
C9 has made a slam dunk with their roster moves. They have acquired the best mechanical player in the world, yay, and arguably the most deadly player in the world with an Operator, Zellsis. In addition to yay, C9’s pickup of Zellsis brings in a flex specialist who has shown incredible skill and highlights in previous teams. With their existing synergy and these new additions, C9 is only going to get stronger.
Sentinels Rebuilds Around TenZ with Former XSET and LOUD Duos
Grade: C+
Among the North American rosters, Sentinels’ roster is the most volatile, with a wide gap between its floor and ceiling. Despite TenZ’s incredible mechanical skill, he will be playing with all new teammates in a new system. The new group consists of two separate duos and might face challenges with language barriers. While there is certainly potential for success, there is also a higher chance of failure compared to other teams.
OpTic Core Joins Forces with NRG, Adds s0m and ardiis
Grade: B
OpTic faced challenges after losing top players, but the new roster on NRG is as good as it can get. Adding ardiis, a versatile Operator player with big match experience, was a great move. The team has flexibility in terms of controller roles, and with the expertise of renowned coach Chet, there are plenty of options for success.
100T Upgrades with Cryocells but Loses Coach Sean
Grade: B+
100 Thieves had a great season in 2022 and mostly kept their roster intact. However, they made a wise move by upgrading their duelist role with Cryocells. The team continues to build on the progress made in the previous year.
EG Builds a Strong 10-Man Roster with BcJ and Ethan
Grade: B
Evil Geniuses is sticking with the five-man roster from the 2022 season, but they won’t be alone. In addition to the main roster, EG is adopting a 10-man roster approach. They have added BcJ from XSET and Ethan from NRG, who will bring valuable experience and guidance to the team. While EG has passed on some available talent, they have a proven track record in developing players.
VALORANT, offseason, North American teams, partnership ecosystem, Kickoff tournament, Sao Paulo, Brazil, player moves, new rosters, VCT Americas league, Cloud9, yay, Zellsis, Sentinels, TenZ, OpTic, NRG, s0m, ardiis, 100 Thieves, Cryocells, Evil Geniuses, BcJ, Ethan.