TSM leaves Valorant esports scene after five-year push to reach Tier 1
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Key points
- TSM announced that it will be leaving the Valorant esports scene after a five-year push to try to reach Tier 1.
- Tier 2 teams can reach Tier 1 for a year by winning their region’s Ascension tournament.
- TSM lost to ENVY at VCT Ascension Americas 2025.
On Nov. 3, 2025, Team SoloMid, or more commonly known as TSM, announced that it is withdrawing from Valorant esports after five years of the team trying to reach Tier 1 through the game’s Ascension tournaments.
“Throughout the last 3 years we have continuously navigated the Challengers circuit in the hopes of finally reaching Tier 1. We improved gradually, year over year, culminating in an Ascension Grand Finals berth in 2025. Now, after half a decade in VALORANT, we plan on exiting the space with no immediate return in sight,” said the organization.
They also thanked Riot Games for their “continued attempts to restructure the Tier 2 ecosystem for the better, and for creating a game we all love.” The organization didn’t clarify why they were quitting the esports, however.
Before disbanding, the organization had the following players in their roster:
- Anthony “gMd” Guimond
- Johann “seven” Hernandez
- Jordan “vora” Pulwer
- Alvin “alvinboy” Hong
- Timothée “Timotino” Lavigne Dupont
Valorant’s esports league is divided into three numbered tiers. Tier 1 teams are partnered with Riot Games, which means that as long as they keep being partnered with Riot. Tier 2 teams have a chance to join the Tier 1 teams if they win their regional Ascension tournament, which TSM failed to do in 2025 after losing to ENVY in the grand final.
