Valorant Pro Player s0m Departs NRG as VCT Americas Roster Chaos Persists

 

Valorant Pro Player s0m Departs NRG as VCT Americas Roster Chaos Persists

At the outset of the offseason, Sam “s0m” Oh had shared on his streaming platform that he intended to dedicate his time primarily to streaming while keeping an eye out for the right career opportunity. This hinted at the possibility of his departure from NRG.

Then, on September 13, NRG officially confirmed that their long-serving Valorant player, s0m, would be parting ways with the organization after an impressive three-year stint.

Reflecting on this transition, s0m remarked in his farewell video, “From a personal standpoint, I saw this coming, but ultimately, it was my choice to take a step back.”

He further explained his decision, saying, "In the coming year, I've decided to focus on streaming for the time being. If an opportunity arises, or if I see a chance to compete again, or even create one, then I' ll consider returning to competitive play."

s0m has been a part of NRG's roster since late 2020, where he played an integral role throughout his tenure. Notably, he blossomed into one of Valorant's prominent streamers, routinely amassing thousands of viewers during his live broadcasts.

NRG, in the meantime, made significant roster moves by acquiring several members of the 2022 OpTic lineup. s0m remained with the team, transitioning to the Controller role. Under his leadership, NRG delivered noteworthy performances in 2023, securing a second-place finish in VCT Americas and achieving a top-four placement at Master Tokyo.

Nevertheless, NRG's season concluded on a somber note as they suffered unexpected setbacks, notably being upset twice consecutively by Bilibili Gaming, leading to their elimination during the group stage of Valorant Champions.

Regarding the offseason plans of s0m and his teammate Pujan “FNS” Mehta, who is the in-game leader for NRG, both expressed an interest in pursuing a path focused on streaming and awaiting future opportunities. However, there have been no updates from NRG regarding the status of their star in-game leader, FNS.

Adding to the roster adjustments, another prominent NRG player, Ardis "ardiis" Svarenieks, is reportedly returning to the EMEA region, rejoining his former FPX teammates at NAVI.