TSM Officially Leaves Riot Games' VALORANT After Five Years
North American esports giant TSM has officially withdrawn from competitive VALORANT, ending a significant chapter in their history. On November 3rd, TSM announced their departure after five years in Riot Games' FPS scene.
TSM's Early Impact in VALORANT
As one of the first major organizations to enter VALORANT in 2020, TSM played a pioneering role. They contributed to early initiatives, including signing one of the first Game Changers rosters and promoting co-streaming within the community.
Competitive Journey and Challenges
TSM's aim was always to compete at the highest level, but recent years saw difficulties in achieving that. Since 2023, they competed in the Challengers League, the Tier 2 circuit of VALORANT.
The team remained determined to reach the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), the game's top competitive league. They came close multiple times but fell short.
2024 Ascension Tournament
In 2024, after placing second in the Challenger Playoffs, TSM secured a spot in the Ascension Tournament, where VCT promotion was at stake. However, they did not advance beyond the Group Stage, finishing 6th overall and missing promotion.
2025 Pursuit of Promotion
Undeterred by the previous year's outcome, TSM continued their pursuit of VCT qualification in 2025 with the same goal in mind.
"TSM was one of the first major organizations to enter VALORANT back in 2020 and helped pioneer several initiatives — from signing one of the earliest Game Changers rosters to promoting co-streaming."
"The team’s ambition has always been to compete at the highest level, but in recent years, they didn’t achieve that very ambition."
Author's summary: TSM's exit from VALORANT closes a five-year tenure marked by early innovation and persistent efforts to reach Valorant's top competitive league despite recent setbacks.