Acend Announces Departure of Starxo, Former VALORANT Champions 2021 Player
Acend, the European esports organization, has officially announced the departure of starxo, marking the end of the player’s nearly two-year tenure with the team. Starxo was a key member of the Acend lineup that secured victory in the VALORANT Champions 2021, the first world championship for Riot Games’ popular FPS game.
Starxo’s Journey with Acend
Starxo joined Acend in March 2021, alongside BONECOLD, cNed, Kiles, koldamenta, and head coach Laurynas “Nbs” Kisielius. In June 2021, the organization made a change, replacing koldamenta with zeek. This finalized the lineup that went on to win the VALORANT Champions in December 2021, defeating Gambit in the finals.
The Decline and Farewell
However, Acend and starxo struggled to replicate their success in 2022. The team’s journey came to an end when they failed to secure one of the ten spots for the EMEA partnership league in 2023. Following this setback, starxo decided to step back from the roster on September 21, 2023, and has been exploring new opportunities since then.
Reflecting on his time with Acend, starxo expressed his gratitude and appreciation. “First 2 years in my life as a pro player, couldn’t ask for more from Acend and all of the boys, all of the support and memories will stay with me untill the end of my life for sure,” stated starxo. “I’m really grateful for this opportunity; we built a hell of a history. Time to move on.”
What’s Next for Starxo?
As of now, it remains uncertain whether starxo has found a new team to join in the upcoming year. Given his achievement in winning one of the most prestigious tournaments in Riot’s FPS competitive scene, it’s likely that starxo has had discussions with organizations involved in the franchising program. Notably, KOI, a team in the EMEA league, is still in need of a player for the 2023 season.
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