Valorant off-season: Gentle Mates release roster as valyn leaves G2 and Vitality part with coach PAL

The Valorant Champions Tour off-season has started in earnest. Within a few days of each other, Gentle Mates released their entire first-team roster and coaching staff, G2 Esports said goodbye to in-game leader valyn, and Team Vitality parted ways with head coach PAL after the best season in the organisation's history. Pacific side Gen.G have also allowed Efina to look for a new team. All four clubs are among the 32 partner teams Riot confirmed for 2027 earlier this month.

Gentle Mates start again from scratch

Gentle Mates announced on 25 October that all five players, Minny, marteen, starxo, Proxh and H1ber, had left. Head coach KUNDIKUNDI and assistant coach Mavera also left. Their 2026 season started well. The French club finished runners-up at VCT EMEA Kickoff and qualified for Masters Santiago, where they finished in the top eight. Results then dropped off. There were coaching and roster changes during the year, and Eintracht Frankfurt ended their season at the play-ins.

Marteen responded on social media by thanking fans. He also said internal problems within the team had become too much to ignore, but he did not say what they were. Gentle Mates' partner status means their EMEA league place is secure for 2027. The club's separate Game Changers team, Gentle Mates GC, is still unbeaten at the Game Changers Championship in São Paulo.

valyn leaves G2 after three years

G2 Esports announced valyn's departure on 27 October. In their farewell message, the club credited his three-year spell as in-game leader with eight consecutive international appearances and four VCT Americas titles. G2's season ended at Valorant Champions Shanghai, where they were knocked out by 100 Thieves in mid-October. Neither G2 nor valyn has said where he will go next, or who will lead the North American roster in 2027.

Vitality lose coach PAL after Champions final

Team Vitality confirmed on 27 October that head coach PAL is leaving. He joined in November 2025 and built a roster that reached the Champions Shanghai grand final, the club's first Champions final, where they lost 3-1 to LOUD. Star player Derke had announced his own departure two days earlier. Jamppi, PROFEK, Chronicle and Sayonara remain under contract, according to Hotspawn, so Vitality need a new coaching staff and a replacement for Derke.

Gen.G open the door for Efina

In the Pacific, Efina said Gen.G had allowed him to explore his options as his contract nears its end. He joined during the team's 2026 mid-season rebuild. Gen.G won all five of their Stage 2 group matches but went out of the playoffs in fifth to sixth place. Head coach HSK has re-signed with the club.

The rebuilds come as Riot changes how the circuit works. Partner teams keep their places at Kickoff but will have to earn spots at later events through results.

Key takeaways

• Gentle Mates released all five players and both coaches from their VCT roster.
• G2 parted ways with IGL valyn after three years and four VCT Americas titles.
• Vitality and coach PAL split after the Champions Shanghai final, following Derke's exit.
• Gen.G's Efina is free to talk to other teams before his contract ends.

FAQ

Q: Will Gentle Mates still play in VCT EMEA in 2027?

Yes. Gentle Mates are one of the eight EMEA partner teams for 2027, so they keep their place and need to build a new roster.

Q: Who won Valorant Champions 2026?

LOUD won Champions Shanghai, beating Team Vitality 3-1 in the grand final.

Q: Has valyn joined a new team?

Not yet. G2 announced his exit on 27 October, and his next team has not been announced.

Sources: VLR.gg, Esports.net, Shane the Gamer, Inven Global, Hotspawn