Cloud9 Valorant is making significant changes to its division following a year of underwhelming performances. The organization has announced the departure of four players and its head coach, marking the start of a significant roster rebuild.
The departing players are veteran Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro, in-game leader Dylan “runi” Cade, Mateja “qpert” Mijović, and rising star duelist Nathan “leaf” Orf. These decisions come in the wake of Cloud9’s inability to secure a spot in major international events over the past year, including Masters Tokyo and Champions 2023.
End of an era of Cloud9 VALORANT
Thank you for an incredible year @leaf_cs, @Zellsis, @runiVL, @qpert999, @MatthewCElmore! 💙 pic.twitter.com/ynmlK5mZM9
— Cloud9 VALORANT (@C9VAL) September 15, 2023
Notably, Nathan “leaf” Orf’s departure has surprised many in the community. Despite Cloud9’s lack of success, the 19-year-old had a breakout year as the team’s duelist. He ranked second in average combat score, third in average damage per round, and had the highest clutch percentage in the Americas League, according to VLR.gg.
A Year of Ups and Downs for Cloud9 Valorant
Cloud9 began the past year as a relatively unknown team, especially after parting ways with superstar duelist Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker and Anthony “vanity” Malaspina. However, the organization quickly rose to prominence. They started the year with an 8-1 record, tied for first place with LOUD, and seemed poised to become a North American powerhouse.
Despite these early successes, Cloud9 faltered in the playoffs, losing the series to Evil Geniuses and NRG Esports. They failed to secure a spot in Champions through the Last Chance Qualifier, suffering an unexpected loss to Leviatán.
Cloud9 Valorant Future Plans
Recent reports suggest that Cloud9 is actively looking to sign Anthony “vanity” Malaspina and Francis “OXY” Hoang. These players would join the two remaining members of the 2023 roster, Jake “jakee” Anderson and Erick “Xeppaa” Bach. The organization hopes that this revamped roster will achieve the success that eluded them in the latter part of the previous season.
Cloud9’s Valorant division is in a rebuilding phase, aiming to bounce back stronger in the highly competitive Valorant Champions Tour. Fans are eager to see how these changes will impact the team’s performance in the upcoming season and whether Cloud9 can regain its status as a top contender in the Valorant esports scene.
