Following a disappointing
VCT China Kickoff for
Nova Esports, roster changes are expected ahead of the second regional competition of the season. As firstly reported by @AriVLRNT, the team is set to add a new Duelist to its lineup with the arrival of
Mikhail “swagzor” Vanyushin, sources told
Sheep Esports. The young player, who turned 18 this past February, is therefore expected to make his VCT debut with a team searching for improved results in the league.
After suffering three defeats and failing to secure a single victory during Kickoff, Nova Esports finished in last place in the tournament. Since joining the league in 2024, the organization has struggled to move beyond the lower half of the standings, only occasionally advancing past the group stage and generally remaining far from qualifying for the VALORANT Champions. With this move, Nova Esports is placing its trust in a young talent in hopes of finally changing this trajectory and achieving stronger results.
swagzor, for his part, is a young Russian player who began his career in EMEA with several teams across the VCL ecosystem. He notably played for Team Occupy in VCL MENA in 2024 before joining NOVO Esports in 2025. He later stood out with Enterprise Esports, with whom he won the VCL NORTH//EAST Kickoff and competed at the start of Stage 1 without suffering a single defeat. He also briefly appeared in EMEA Clash before stepping aside for Denis-Stefan “kozzy” Aionitoaei, who had reached the minimum age required to compete in official matches.
