Several major changes have recently been announced to Cloud9’s VALORANT workforce heading into the 2024 season. It’s safe to say that all of these changes signify a new beginning for the organization.
Major changes to Cloud9’s VALORANT squad
After a relatively disappointing season, Cloud9 has decided to make many adjustments. Yesterday, September 15, the organization informed its fans that the team’s head coach, Matthew “mCe” Elmore, and four players would no longer be part of the staff. This announcement marks the beginning of a massive change in the staff of Cloud9’s VALORANT division.
Among the players leaving the team, we have captain Dylan “runi” Cade, veteran Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro, promising duelist Nathan “Leaf” Orf, and Mateja “qpert” Mijovi. While this may be a very drastic decision for many, we must remember that the team did not qualify for any major tournament in 2023. Cloud9 was left out of both the Tokyo Masters and the Champions 2023.
On the other hand, it is important to note that the departure of the 19-year-old Leaf has come as a complete surprise to many. Although the team did not have an excellent season, Leaf enjoyed an excellent season as a Duelist. That is why no one expected this announcement.
According to statistics published by VLR.gg, Leaf was the breakout star and had the third-best damage per-round average. In addition, Leaf had the best clutch percentage in the AHL and the second-best average fight score.
End of an era of Cloud9 VALORANT
Thank you for an incredible year @leaf_cs, @Zellsis, @runiVL, @qpert999, @MatthewCElmore! 💙 pic.twitter.com/ynmlK5mZM9
— Cloud9 VALORANT (@C9VAL) September 15, 2023
Cloud9’s Season
C9 arguably started with a virtually unknown roster after parting ways with Jaccob “Yay” Whiteaker and Anthony “Vanity” Malaspina. With these changes, C9 fans didn’t know what the team’s fate would bring, especially after signing the former Sonigs captain. However, in just a matter of weeks, the new squad became one of the best teams in the area.
This team was tied with LOUD for first place at the end of the regular season. Both teams had a record of 8-1. With these results, C9 was on parade to be the next North American powerhouse. However, C9 did not live up to the expectations of the entire community, as they lost to NRG Esports and Evil Geniuses. As a result, C9 was left out of the playoffs. In addition, C9 unexpectedly lost to Leviathan, which prevented them from qualifying for the Champions through the Last Chance Qualifier.
Finally, some sources claim that C9 is trying to sign Francis “OXY” Hoang and Anthony “vanity” Malaspina again. At the moment, this information has not been confirmed. However, we should expect that C9 will be looking to build a strong squad for the 2024 season.