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Bleed Esports Removed From VCT Pacific International League and Here’s Why

Riot Games has given Bleed Esports the boot from the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific International League in 2025.... Stalingrad | 6. October 2024

Riot Games has given Bleed Esports the boot from the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific International League in 2025. BOOM Esports fill their vacated spot, a second chance after falling to qualify from the VCT Ascension 2024.

This move marks a significant change in the VALORANT competitive landscape, and has far-reaching implications for BLEED and its players, as well as the regional scene. Pro players and die-hard fans alike are surprised at the sudden change, but Riot says it was a careful decision they had already informed the organization about.

The Reason for the Kick-Out

Bleed Esports Removed From VCT Pacific International League and Here's Why (4)

Riot stated multiple compliance issues as the reason for Bleed Esports’ removal from the most prestigious VALORANT league. According to them, BLEED has failed to file required reports and did not meet key obligations in their Team Participation Agreement (TPA). In addition, the Singapore-based organization also kept making operational mistakes. Complete details about the reason remain undisclosed, but an insider speculation says that it might be because of delays in the payments of players.

Riot Games issued the full statement through an X (formerly Twitter) post on October 4. Bleed Esports had officially lost their spot by then, but the team members were allegedly already informed of the decision as soon as it was made.

Players Left on the Lurch

However, the early notification for the BLEED players did not change the fact that they are now in a tough spot. The announcement came just 3 days before the roster lock for the VCT Pacific on October 7, making it near-impossible for them to find even a temporary position in new teams.

Players said that they basically “lost their jobs overnight”, and only knew of the news through social media. The situation sheds light on how rapid changes like this, especially before an important competition, may leave players vulnerable and throw away their hard work and practice. 

On the same day Riot posted their announcement, Bleed Esports’ official X account also made a statement. The organization said that they will cooperate with Riot Games despite their disappointment over the decision. They also promised to support their VALORANT players and staff as they are still eligible for VCT Challengers.

The Show Must Go On

Bleed Esports Removed From VCT Pacific International League and Here's Why

Despite the unexpected change, Riot Games has committed to maintaining the league’s competitive integrity. The VCT Pacific League is to proceed with the original roster of 12 teams, with BOOM Esports filling the vacant final spot. The Indonesian team finished second at the VCT Ascension 2024 and was included in the competing teams for VCT Pacific through Riot’s merit-based qualification system.

BOOM Esports’ Lucky Break

Only five days before BLEED’s removal, BOOM Esports was narrowly losing to Sin Prisa Gaming in VCT Ascension’s grand finals. The South Korean team achieved a 3-2 victory against BOOM who fell short by the end of the game, winning at Lotus and Haven but losing at Bind. It was a particularly painful loss for BOOM as the tournament was held in their homecourt, at BritAma Arena in Jakarta.

BOOM’s players and CEO seemed to only have found out about their last-minute qualification the same way Bleed Esports received their removal. The Indonesian team’s official X account reposted Riot’s announcement with what looks like a keysmash in capitalized letters, indicating their surprise. 

Additionally, BOOM Esports CEO Gary Ongko tweeted shortly after, saying that they were all in shock and that he also only knew about the news on the very same day. He congratulated BOOM’s VALORANT players and expressed gratitude to the team’s fans for their support.

BOOM is known to be one of the pioneers in the Indonesian esports scene, the first to represent the SEA country in international VALORANT tournaments. BOOM has also already taken down Bleed Esports in matches before, and now will be a chance to show how they compare to the SIngaporean team as their replacement.

The Future for BLEED, BOOM, and VALORANT

Bleed Esports Removed From VCT Pacific International League and Here's Why (3)

The recent developments regarding the VCT Pacific 2025 roster represent significant changes in the competitive VALORANT scene. As the new season approaches, the freshly promoted BOOM Esports is set to prove themselves in the esteemed tournament. The team is not to be underestimated, that’s for sure, with incredible skills and dynamic playstyles. Can they contest the best of the best in the region and get far enough to make the most of this opportunity?

Meanwhile, Bleed Esports will face the struggle to rebuild their reputation. They will most likely compete in the VCT Challengers, but that would only be the first of their many chances to reestablish the trust of both players and fans. Nevertheless, the incident can serve as a lesson for organizations to keep themselves in order and for teams and players to always have backup plans. The esports world can apparently be this unpredictable, and BLEED is learning it the hard way.