Acend and Starxo Part Ways After Winning VALORANT Champions 2021
Acend has officially ended their partnership with Starxo, marking the conclusion of his nearly two-year tenure with the Polish pro. Starxo was the last member of the Acend lineup that emerged victorious in the VALORANT Champions 2021, Riot Games’ first-ever world championship for the popular FPS game.
Starxo’s Journey with Acend
Starxo joined Acend in March 2021, alongside teammates BONECOLD, cNed, Kiles, koldamenta, and head coach Laurynas “Nbs” Kisielius. In June 2021, the European organization replaced koldamenta with zeek, finalizing the lineup that would go on to clinch the VALORANT Champions title in December 2021, overcoming Gambit in the final match.
Acend Parts Ways with Starxo
However, Starxo and the rest of the team struggled to maintain their form throughout 2022, ultimately failing to secure one of the 10 spots in the EMEA Partnership League for 2023. As a result, Starxo took a step back from the roster on September 21 and has been actively seeking new opportunities ever since.
Expressing his gratitude towards Acend and his former teammates, Starxo said, “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 until the end of my life for sure. I’m really grateful for this opportunity, we built a hell of a history. Time to move on.”
Starxo’s Future Endeavors
It remains unclear whether Starxo has found a new team to play for in 2023. Given his track record as a champion in Riot’s FPS competitive scene, it is likely that Starxo has had discussions with organizations participating in the franchising program. Notably, KOI is the sole organization in the EMEA league that still needs to fill a player slot for the upcoming year.