Valorant Esports News

Cloud9 dropped some unexpected news on May 8th. Victor "v1c" Truong is stepping down from the active Cloud9 VALORANT roster to take a break from competing, and Notexxd will be sliding in to fill his spot. It's a tough pill to swallow mid-season, but Cloud9 isn't slowing down.

For the first time in their VCT history, Global Esports are heading to an international event. The Indian organization clinched their spot at Masters London after defeating Paper Rex 2-1 in a thrilling upper bracket semifinal, capping off an incredible journey.

ENVY player Evan “Eggsterr” Grady has unofficially announced his retirement from professional play. The 23-year-old content creator turned professional player confirmed on-stream that he would play the upcoming MIBR series while also implying that will be his final series with the team.

VALORANT shares the first look and more details on the upcoming Neon and Shotgun nerfs, set to arrive with Patch 12.09 on May 12.

Neon, the Filipino duelist agent in VALORANT, is finally slated for a long-awaited nerf. The nerf is scheduled to come with Patch 12.09 and she will be disabled for the period until the patch arrives.

The Valorant esports community is heartbroken. Tyler "sym" Porter, a rising North American professional player and former TSM competitor, passed away on May 5, 2026, at just 21 years old.

Shotcall is making a return to the VCT, and this time, it’s for the regional leagues. Riot Games has officially confirmed that Shotcall is coming back for the VCT Stage 1 Playoffs, spanning all three major regions—Pacific, EMEA, and Americas. Whether you're a seasoned predictor or a first-timer, here's your complete guide to jumping in.

Riot Games is bringing back open applications for its Partner Programs, and this time, the doors are opening wider than ever. After years away from public enrollment, creators across League of Legends, VALORANT, and Teamfight Tactics will finally get their shot starting in August 2026.

The Club Partner Program (CPP) is one of the Esports Foundation (EF) flagship initiatives centered around providing investment and incentives to a select group of esports organizations that are members of the club. It consists of its own ecosystem of support for organizations as well as providing said organizations with a separate track for winning prize money – the Club Championship. But what do we actually know about how it works? Join us as we listen to industry staples speak on their experience.

VALORANT Night Market will return in Season 2026 Act 3 on May 7 and run until May 28.

The beloved Kuronami collection returns in patch 12.08, and we now have an early look at what to expect. Headlined by the Naru-Kami blade, the second set also includes skins for four other weapons.

Skirmish Ascension arrives with Patch 12.08, blending select abilities, stage-based weapons, and live leaderboards. This mode will also offer 1v1 and 2v2 queues, bringing in a brand-new experience.

South Korea has reportedly pulled out of the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 following a dispute between Korean e-Sports Association (KeSPA) and the Esports Foundation (EF). The former claimed that the national selection of players to represent South Korea had been ‘interfered with’ by the event organizer. KeSPA, as the governing esports body for South Korea, holds tremendous sway over the nation’s esports athletes and activities.

It was announced back in February that the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals would be heading to beautiful Barcelona from August 28th to the 30th. As promised, further information has now been released regarding the vital tickets for the venue as well as what to expect on the week of.

Shopify Rebellion's in-game leader Melanie "meL" Capone has announced she is stepping back from professional VALORANT for the rest of 2026, effective immediately. In a heartfelt statement shared publicly, the veteran IGL cited health reasons, more specifically, a recent diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), as the driving force behind her decision.

ENVY has officially terminated its contract with Alex "canezerra" Banyasz after the player received a 12-month hardware ban from Riot Games

Sentinels just made one of the most exciting moves in the VCT Game Changers North America scene. The iconic North American organization announced a brand-new partnership with Blue Otter GC, giving birth to a new team identity: SEN OTTERS

VALORANT's latest premium skin bundle, the Holo Meridian, is set to hit the in-game store on April 16, 2026, and early previews suggest it could be one of the cleanest cosmetic drops Riot Games has delivered this year.

The Esports Foundation has officially confirmed the complete 16-game lineup for the Esports Nations Cup 2026, the inaugural global nation-based esports competition set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2–29, 2026. Over 100,000 players are expected to compete across hundreds of qualification events spanning 100 nations and territories throughout the year.

Introduced in 2023, the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) as we know it is now in the final year of its first iteration. As fans await the remainder of this season, Riot looks ahead already to 2027 and the anticipated changes. A series of massive changes are coming for VCT starting next year and there’s a lot to look forward to.