Caide “chloric” Heaton has reached a verbal agreement to join Team Heretics ahead of the 2027 VCT season, sources tell Sheep Esports. The American player is set to leave Natus Vincere after spending the 2026 season with the organization. His contract with NAVI is set to expire at the end of the year according to the Global Contract Database. First reported by HERETICSFREEDC on X.
chloric was the first option for the Spanish team as In-game Leader, over others IGL that TH also trialed as Jake "Boaster" Howlett, Eren "Rosé" Erzan, Patryk "starxo" Kopczyński, and Mehmet Batu "batujnax" Özaslan.
Chloric joined NAVI ahead of
VCT EMEA Stage 1 and remained with the team throughout the season. During Stage 2, NAVI reached the Play-In but were eliminated by Team Heretics, ending their EMEA campaign.
Another NAVI player joins Heretics
As previously reported by Sheep Esports, Emirhan “hiro” Kat is also set to join Team Heretics ahead of the 2027 VCT season. The Turkish Sentinel has reached an agreement with the Spanish organization after spending the past two years with NAVI.
Hiro was one of the main pieces of NAVI's roster during the 2026 season. His arrival alongside chloric would give Heretics two additions from the same NAVI roster as the organization reshapes its lineup for next year.
Heretics retain two key players
Besides the upcoming changes, Team Heretics are set to retain Benjamin “benjyfishy” Fish and Enes “RieNs” Ecirli. Sheep Esports previously reported that RieNs had agreed to extend his contract with Heretics through 2028. The Turkish player has been with the organization since the end of 2023 and has remained a key part of the roster. With him and Chloric, Heretics can no longer bring in imports for its 2027 project with the new VCT EMEA structure.
Benjyfishy is also expected to remain with Heretics, allowing the organization to preserve part of its existing core while bringing in new players for the 2027 and 2028 season.
The roster changes come after Heretics failed to qualify for
VALORANT Champions 2026. The team won VCT EMEA Stage 1 but could not replicate that result in Stage 2, missing the playoffs before being eliminated in the Play-In by the
VALORANT Eintracht Frankfurt team. Their Championship Points total was ultimately not enough to secure a Champions spot.
With chloric and hiro set to join, while benjyfishy and RieNs remain, Team Heretics are already beginning to shape their roster for the 2027 VCT EMEA season.
VCT EMEA moves to new format in 2027
The roster changes also come as VCT EMEA prepares to transition to a new format in 2027. Starting next season, the region will feature eight partnered teams, while the remaining four spots will be decided through open qualifiers across Europe, Türkiye, and MENA sub-regions.
The new structure will create a different competitive landscape for organizations in the region, making roster-building and securing a place in the partnered league even more important ahead of the 2027 season. For Team Heretics and NAVI, the changes add another layer to their respective offseason plans, with both organizations now expected to enter the new season with reshaped rosters.
