VALORANT: SLT and VARREL merge to play in VCT Pacific

The Korean organization SLT, which had secured qualification for VCT Pacific, will not take part in the competition directly next season. Despite being one of the two winners of VCT Ascension Pacific 2025, the team will instead merge with Japanese organization VARREL in order to enter the league.

In a live announcement and through its social media channels last week, SLT confirmed the end of its operations after just over two years in VALORANT. Shortly thereafter, the organization also announced that it would be joining VARREL, which will absorb SLT’s entire player roster and coaching staff to compete in the league next season.

SLT’s story—entirely centered around VALORANT—came to an end just as the team was finally on the verge of reaching the region’s top tier. Over a little more than two years in VALORANT Challengers Korea, SLT established themselves as one of the most dominant teams in the region, reaching the final four times across seven splits, albeit without ever claiming a title. Nevertheless, the team rightfully qualified for Ascension this year and secured its VCT slot without dropping a single match throughout the tournament.

VARREL seized the opportunity to make their entry into the VCT by integrating SLT into their operations. Active across multiple titles in recent years, the Japanese organization previously competed in VCL Japan in 2024 before exiting the league earlier this year. Despite not fielding a VALORANT roster this season, VARREL now earns its place in VCT by incorporating the players and coaching staff who won Ascension under the SLT banner.

The VALORANT Esports staff stated that they were "happy for the players and coaches who will now have access to more resources and support as they prepare to compete at the highest level of VALORANT Esports.” VARREL will thus become the third Japanese team to compete in VCT Pacific, alongside ZETA DIVISION and DetonatioN FocusMe. It is also the second new organization to enter the league this year, following FULL SENSE, which will replace TALON.