Valorant offseason: Wo0t leaves Heretics, Meteor exits T1 and keiko departs NRG

The VCT 2027 offseason picked up pace on 22 October. Several established players announced they were leaving their teams within hours of each other: Team Heretics' Wo0t, T1's Meteor, NRG's keiko and Team Liquid's trexx. With many contracts running out on 2 November, the start of VCT free agency, more top players are set to change teams before 2027.

Wo0t ends three years with Team Heretics

Mert "Wo0t" Alkan has left Team Heretics, VLR.gg reported. He joined Heretics as a teenager in October 2023, when the team rebuilt around younger players, and he became one of the most consistent players in EMEA.

In his time with Heretics he played at six international events, won an EMEA title and won the Esports World Cup. Playing as the team's main Duelist, he led Masters Shanghai 2024 in total kills as Heretics finished runners-up. No reason has been given for his departure, and no new team has been announced.

His exit leaves Heretics with three places to fill. The team has also parted ways with koshmaras and Boo since the season ended, so only benjyfishy and RieNs remain on the active roster. Heretics did keep their VCT partnership for 2027, so they have time to rebuild before Kickoff.

Meteor's two years at T1 come to an end

In VCT Pacific, Kim "Meteor" Tae-oh is leaving T1 as his contract expires. He was named MVP when T1 won Masters Bangkok in 2025. VLR.gg noted that this made him the first player of the partnership era since FNATIC's 2023 roster to win two international trophies.

T1 also finished second at Pacific Kickoff 2026 and reached Champions Shanghai this year. Their 5th-6th place finish there was T1's best result at Champions and the highest finish by a Pacific team. Meteor, who played mainly as a Sentinel and sometimes as a second Duelist, has said he is looking for a new team. T1 are listed with Munchkin, stax, BuZz, DH and iZu.

keiko and trexx also on the move

Georgio "keiko" Sanassy is leaving NRG after one season. He said the organisation told him he would not be part of its plans for next year. He played 12 different agents across Controller, Sentinel and Duelist roles during his time with the North American team. His contract is listed as running through 2027, which makes him a restricted free agent, so NRG keep some say over where he goes next.

At Team Liquid, Initiator Nikita "trexx" Cherednichenko is leaving for the second time. Liquid had brought him back before EMEA Stage 2 this year, and the team then finished second in EMEA and qualified for Champions Shanghai. His contract expires on 2 November, and he says he is open to offers from any region.

Staff are leaving too. Analyst balax has left newly crowned champions LOUD, and Gentle Mates have parted ways with head coach KUNDIKUNDI.

Why the timing matters

Riot confirmed its 32 partner teams for 2027 this week. Heretics, Liquid, T1, NRG and Gentle Mates all kept their places. Partner teams get direct entry to Kickoff, but they now have to earn every international spot after that through results. That gives teams a strong reason to finalise rosters early. Pacific fans should watch Meteor's next move closely, because there are few Korean players of his level available.

Key takeaways

• Wo0t has left Team Heretics after three years. Only benjyfishy and RieNs remain on the active roster.
• Meteor, the Masters Bangkok 2025 MVP, is leaving T1 as his contract ends.
• keiko is leaving NRG after one season as a restricted free agent, and trexx is leaving Team Liquid again.
• Many VCT contracts expire on 2 November, when free agency opens.

FAQ

When does Valorant free agency start? Riot's VCT contract database lists 2 November as the expiry date for many contracts, and that is when the free agency period opens.

What is a restricted free agent in Valorant? The term generally describes a player who is leaving a team while still under contract. The team keeps some control over the transfer, so another organisation usually has to negotiate with it.

Have any of these players signed with a new team? Not yet. As of 22 October, Wo0t, Meteor, keiko and trexx had not been officially announced by any new team.

Sources: VLR.gg, Riot Games