Cover-Credits:
With the international leagues being announced for Valorant esports in 2023, we can expect a ton of roster changes to take place leading up to the next year of competitive esports. Valorant Champions 2022 has come to an end which means that we are in the “off-season.” Teams that have qualified for next year’s international leagues will be looking to finalize their rosters. With some major organizations being left out of the international leagues, we can expect some of the biggest players in the world to make moves.
How does free agency work in Valorant?
Unrestricted free agents who do not have active contracts will be able to move into any team they wish to. They are not bound by any contracts. Victor Wong and Austin “crashies” Roberts of OpTic Gaming are two pro players who have not extended their contracts with their former team. OpTic is not a part of the Americas league which means that both pro players can join one of the eligible teams in the 2023 season.
Restricted free agents are players who are still under contract with their organization but they have been allowed to explore other opportunities. Here’s an example to explain it further:
If Organization A did not make it to an international league, it has the option to let its players explore other options. If Organization B wants to sign a player or players from Organization A, it can propose a deal. If both organizations come to an agreement, then a transfer will be made.
According to a report by Dot Esports, October is the designated off-season month when all of the transfers will happen. Teams that have partnered with Riot Games for the international leagues will be looking to finalize their rosters in the coming weeks as we get closer to the kickoff tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil next year.
We can expect players from esports organizations that did not make it to the international leagues to make a move. But some teams might not be willing to make changes to their rosters, which could potentially limit how many high-profile transfers we will see by the end of the off-season.
