VALORANT: TSM officially exit Riot Games' FPS after five years

A titan of North American esports is stepping away from Riot Games’ FPS. On Monday, November 3rd, TSM officially announced their departure from competitive VALORANT, marking the end of a five-year chapter in the organization’s history.

TSM was one of the first major organizations to enter VALORANT back in 2020 and, as highlighted in their farewell message, helped pioneer several initiatives within the scene — from signing one of the earliest Game Changers rosters to promoting co-streaming. The team’s ambition has always been to compete at the highest level, but in recent years, the team didn’t achieve that very ambition.

Since 2023, TSM had been competing in the Challengers League, VALORANT’s Tier 2 circuit. Despite struggling to find consistent results, the organization’s goal remained clear: to earn a place in the VCT, the game’s premier league.

TSM came close, more than once. In 2024, after finishing second in the Challenger Playoffs, the team qualified for the Ascension Tournament, where promotion to the VCT was on the line. However, their first attempt fell short: TSM failed to make it past the Group Stage, finishing 6th overall and watching their VCT hopes slip away.

Undeterred, the organization returned in 2025 with the same goal. Following two underwhelming splits — both ending in 5th–6th place — Timothée "Timotino" Lavigne Dupont and his teammates finally found their rhythm. Despite a shaky qualification and an early drop into the Lower Bracket of playoffs, TSM mounted a remarkable comeback, running the entire bracket to claim the Stage 3 title.

That victory earned them another shot at Ascension, and this time, their run looked promising. Yet, they didn’t bring it home: after reaching the Grand Finals, TSM fell 1–3 to ENVY, narrowly missing promotion for a second consecutive year. Following that defeat, TSM officially announced its withdrawal from VALORANT, with no plans to return in the foreseeable future.

This isn’t the first time TSM have stepped away from a major Riot Games title. The North American organization previously exited the League of Legends scene after the 2023 season, selling its LCS slot to Shopify Rebellion, who is still competing at the top level of North American LoL currently.

With their exit from VALORANT, TSM close the door on both of its long-standing partnerships with Riot Games — the very games that helped shape the organization’s global esports identity. This move marks the end of an era for one of the most storied names in competitive gaming.