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VCT Pacific Champion Will Not Continue Operations in 2027
Global Esports dropped a shocker by announcing their exit from esports after nearly a decade. The VCT Pacific 2026 Stage 2 winners have effectively disbanded their VALORANT roster, and the players are now free agents, with some reportedly already receiving offers.
According to Global Esports Founder & CEO Rushindra Sinha, the organization reached this decision as early as a year ago. When Riot Games reached out to Global Esports in November 2025 for their future plans, Sinha’s answer was:
“2026 was more than likely going to be our last year in esports”
Now, after enjoying their best season in 2026, securing a VCT Pacific title and competing in Masters and Champions, Global Esports closes its chapter in VALORANT and esports as a whole.
Global Esports Rebrands As GE Studios Following Esports Exit
Global Esports' departure from esports comes with a rebrand. The organization is now GE Studios, transitioning from a competitive esports org to a studio with a clear focus on AI.
Founder Rushindra Sinha has been vocal about AI on social media, and while he hasn't shared specifics yet, he stated:
“Everything we’ve done in the last decade is now going to be powered and amplified with AI”
What Does Global Esports’ Exit Mean for South Asian Representation in VCT 2027?
VALORANT is heading into a new era of competition in 2027, with its esports circuit moving away from a league structure toward a tournament format. As such, the current partnership structure will also see several changes.
With Global Esports' exit from VCT, India and South Asia would lose their sole partnered representative. A replacement seems unlikely, as the number of partnered Pacific teams will be limited to eight.
On the bright side, the new VCT structure opens the door for non‑partnered teams to compete in international events. However, with slots being limited, teams from the region would have to compete with the rest of Asia and Oceania for representation.
It's certainly not an easy path, but the road to VCT is far from closed for this passionate region.
With the 2026 season coming to a close at VALORANT Champions, teams all over the world have started announcing their futures in the game. So far, several top names, including Sentinels and LOUD, have confirmed their return as partner orgs, while Global Esports stands among the few to announce their departure.
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Featured image credit: Riot Games
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