Fnatic Extends Contracts of Boaster and Derke
Fnatic, a prominent esports organization, has announced that it has extended the contracts of Jake “Boaster” Howlett and Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev, two of its VALORANT franchise players. Boaster’s contract will now run until 2025, while Derke’s contract has been extended until 2026. This ensures that Boaster, aged 27, will remain with Fnatic for at least the next two seasons, and 19-year-old Derke will stay for at least the next three seasons.
Contract Extensions Before VCT Champions 2022
The contract extensions were revealed by Fnatic on the eve of the team’s opening match at VCT Champions 2022. The team is scheduled to compete against 100 Thieves at 10am CT. This tournament marks Fnatic’s second appearance in the VALORANT world championship and their fifth participation in international VCT events.
Boaster expressed his desire to win a championship during Fnatic’s announcement, stating, “I feel like it’s time to lift a trophy now. I’d like to be doing some heavy lifting.”
Boaster, known for his charismatic leadership within the team, previously played professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and was a content creator for Excel. He then transitioned to VALORANT and achieved success with the SUMN FC roster. Fnatic recognized his talents and signed him in February 2021, later adding Derke to the team a few months later.
Derke, widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, has showcased his exceptional mechanical skill and playmaking abilities as a duelist agent and Chamber player. His contributions have played a vital role in Fnatic’s achievements. As a 19-year-old, Derke still has great potential for further growth and success.
Boaster and Derke’s partnership has led Fnatic to strong finishes in various international events, including a second-place finish at Masters Reykjavík 2021, a fourth-place finish at Masters Copenhagen, and a playoff appearance at Champions 2021. Unfortunately, Fnatic was unable to reach the playoffs at Reykjavík 2022 due to Derke’s absence caused by COVID.
The EMEA global league for 2023 has yet to announce its list of partnered teams. However, it would come as no surprise if Fnatic was included, as the organization has declared that Boaster and Derke are the key duo for its future endeavors.
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