League of Legends: GameWard Astrals makes its debut in the women's scene by joining the Coupe des Étoiles

With the 3rd Open Qualifier of Webedia’s Coupe des Étoiles approaching, GameWard has officially announced the acquisition of La Massia, forming a brand new female division of League of Legends named “GameWard Astrals”. According to team representatives, the roster has been contracted to the French organization since the start of the qualifiers in June.

The team will feature toplaner Telch (formerly of Galaxy Racer), jungler Hao (formerly of Solary), midlaner Torlaine (formerly of PlayHerz), AD Carry KoyaSka (formerly of Solary), and support Shimesama, who previously played for the organization under GWARDIAN BOX in the Nexus Tour. To support the players, the team will also include head coach Simon “Baguette” Cordonnier, who recently joined the main roster, and manager Marc “ManyFender” Kowolik.

While new organizations dipping their toes into this relatively new competitive landscape remain an exciting prospect, GameWard's investment is modest and seems to be just a first step if the organization hopes to truly become a major player in the scene. According to sources, players other than Shimesama, who joined much earlier, have been under contract since June and will remain with the organization for a total of five months. While the exact figures of GameWard's investment are unknown, estimates suggest that the organization's payroll is significantly lower than that of most, if not all, other professional organizations currently in the circuit.

From discussions with individuals close to the team, it is expected that GameWard may consider increasing its budget next year, should the experiment prove successful and if its partnerships with Sobedo and Honda France are extended. In addition to salaries and general structural support for the players, GameWard will also be organizing a five-day bootcamp at its headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt to help prepare its new roster for the next stages of the competition.

Nonetheless, this move indicates a clear desire to expand the organization’s horizons and invest in the development of inclusive esports and mixed play within the League of Legends ecosystem. Supported by their partners Sodebo and Honda France, with the former having previously collaborated with the organization for its Nexus Tour team GWARDIAN BOX, GameWard is now taking its first steps in this new direction.

By making this investment, the organization will be joining several other French teams that have already invested in the women’s scene, notably Solary, Team GO, and Vitality. When asked about the delay in officially announcing the team, GameWard explained that more time was needed to finalize details such as branding, communication strategy, and other aspects.

Telch, a seasoned caster of the TCL and long-time player, joins GameWard as one of their most experienced and veteran talents. Best known for her proficiency on Camille, the Turkish player excels with a wide range of carry champions and has been competing semi-professionally since 2020. Peaking at 569 LP this year, her strong individual skill is expected to be a key asset in GameWard’s strategy. Despite her talent, Telch has yet to achieve significant results in her career, with her most notable success being a victory at the GIRLGAMER MENA regional competition in 2021. Recent performances have been mixed, but her potential remains undeniable.

Formerly part of Solary Academy, Hao is joining GameWard with a renewed hunger to prove herself. Peaking at 219 LP this year, the Belgian jungler brings a versatile playstyle to the team, demonstrating her ability to adapt across various champion types, from AP junglers to diver bruisers and supportive picks like Maokai and Ivern. Although she narrowly missed qualification for the Equal Esports Cup, Hao recently competed with the amateur team "Rigas In Paris" during the 2024 Storm Takeover, where she qualified and even defeated her former team Solary, despite an eventual group stage exit.

One of the youngest and least experienced players on the team, Torlaine should prove an exciting new prospect to the roster. Having never competed for a professional organization, the former Zilean OTP now has the opportunity to prove she can hold her own against the top figures in the female scene. Currently sitting at 298 LP, the French midlaner is best known for her control mage picks, including Hwei, Taliyah, Syndra, and of course, Zilean. Previously, Torlaine competed alongside team captain Shimesama under the PlayHerz banner in last year's Coupe des Étoiles.

Widely recognized as an unsung heroine of last year’s Solary Academy, KoyaSka is joining GameWard Astrals as the team’s highest-ranked solo queue player, sitting currently at a 690 LP peak this season. In recent times, the French botlaner competed with Aquila Rose, a smaller organization that unfortunately failed qualification for both the Equal Esports Cup and Storm Takeover. Now joining a new professional organization, only time will tell if KoyaSka will be able to showcase her true potential and surpass her previous results.

One of the cornerstones of GameWard Astrals, Shimesama is poised to take on a leadership role within the team. Being KoyaSka's long-time best friend, the duo should prove to be an explosive addition to the roster, as the two are known for their aggressive style. Although she has had limited experience in professional play so far, the Monegasque support has recently demonstrated significant improvement and growth, notably through her time in the Nexus Tour with GWARDIAN BOX, which she described as a "wonderful experience" in a recent interview.

Although Shimesama eventually stepped down from that roster, GameWard has continued to support her development over the past few months, with Shimesama peaking at 125 LP in solo queue. With the backing of her organization and her new teammates, Shimesama is now set to showcase the results of her training and lead her team to success.

The Coupe des Étoiles is Webedia’s initiative aimed at promoting a safe environment for women to compete in the professional League of Legends landscape. Similar to its first edition, the tournament’s grand finals are set to be played in person at the Paris Games Week, alongside the Coupe de France, the final step of the yearly LFL circuit. To qualify for these finals, GameWard and other teams must compete in four open qualifiers, where they will earn points and attempt to secure a spot in the tournament’s main event. At the time of writing this piece, the team stands in 6th place and needs to be among the top eight teams on the leaderboards to qualify for the next stage.