LOUD's Valorant world champions split up as Darker reportedly agrees to join KRÜ
Weeks after winning Champions 2026, LOUD's title roster is breaking apart. Darker is reportedly KRÜ-bound, while lukxo and erde are heading to Leviatán.
The Valorant world champions are already going their separate ways. Colombian star Sebastián "Darker" Castro Cicuamia has reportedly agreed to join KRÜ Esports for the 2027 season, Strafe reported on 4 November, citing THESPIKE Brasil journalist Bruno Povoleri. Darker's move would be the latest blow for LOUD, who are also set to lose two other members of the roster that won Valorant Champions 2026 in Shanghai just weeks ago.
From world champions to free agents
LOUD lifted the trophy on 18 October after beating Team Vitality 3-1 in the grand final, according to Inven Global. The win made the Brazilian organisation the first team to win Valorant Champions twice, following its 2022 title in Istanbul with a completely different lineup. Roberto "erde" Lobos was named the final's MVP.
Darker became the first Colombian to win Champions. His contract with LOUD expired on 2 November, making him a free agent. Neither KRÜ nor LOUD had commented on the reported agreement when Strafe published its story. If completed, Darker would be KRÜ's first reported addition for 2027, after the club confirmed the departures of mwzera and heat.
lukxo and erde head to Leviatán
The bigger shift came the week before. On 28 October, Sheep Esports reported that erde and Lucca "lukxo" Travaioli had verbally agreed to join Leviatán. A day later, lukxo confirmed on social media that he was leaving LOUD, though neither club had made an official announcement and the deal still depended on administrative steps and the transfer window, according to EsportNow.
THESPIKE reported that LOUD accepted Leviatán's offer even though MIBR had bid more, because the two players wanted to stay together. No transfer fees have been disclosed.
Who is left at LOUD?
The picture for the champions is uncertain. Enzo "tkzin" Zimiani's contract status is disputed between LOUD and KRÜ, according to Strafe, and David "DaviH" Cruz is the only member of the title-winning roster confirmed under contract through 2027. That leaves LOUD facing a significant rebuild before the new season.
It is not only LOUD being reshaped. Beaten finalists Vitality parted ways with Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev after the Champions final, while MIBR moved their entire roster to inactive status, RG.org reported.
Why it matters for Asian fans
The Americas shake-up will affect the international picture in 2027, when Pacific teams such as Paper Rex will again meet the best Americas sides at Masters events and Champions. Each of the three international leagues' 2027 Kickoff events will have 12 teams, combining eight partner teams with four teams from open qualifiers. The Pacific open qualifiers for Southeast Asia begin in late November.
Key takeaways
- LOUD beat Vitality 3-1 on 18 October to become the first two-time Valorant world champions.
- Darker has reportedly agreed to join KRÜ after his LOUD contract expired on 2 November.
- lukxo has confirmed he is leaving for Leviatán, and erde is reportedly going with him.
- Only DaviH is confirmed under contract with LOUD through 2027, while tkzin's status is disputed.
FAQ
Has KRÜ officially signed Darker? Not yet. The move was reported on 4 November, citing THESPIKE Brasil, and neither KRÜ nor LOUD had commented.
Who won Valorant Champions 2026? LOUD won the title in Shanghai, beating Team Vitality 3-1 in the final on 18 October 2026. Erde was named MVP.
Where are lukxo and erde going? Both are reportedly joining Leviatán for 2027. Lukxo has publicly confirmed his exit from LOUD, but the transfer is not yet officially announced.
Sources: Strafe, Inven Global, EsportNow, RG.org, VALORANT Esports