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Korean VALORANT esports team DRX on Monday announced the benching of in-game leader Kim “stax” Gu-taek, who is now a restricted free agent.
The news comes just short of three weeks before the start of VALORANT Champions Tour 2024 Pacific Stage 2, leaving DRX with one slot open while stax remains with the team as an inactive member.
In the announcement post on X, DRX explained that the decision was made after careful and lengthy consideration — likely tied to the team’s disappointing fourth-place finish at VCT 2024 Pacific Stage 1 earlier this month.
Stax joined DRX in January 2022 as one of the inaugural members of the team’s VALORANT lineup. In his first season with the team, he helped DRX win both VCT 2022 Korea Challengers stages and claim a bronze medal from VALORANT Champions 2022.
Announcement from DRX VALORANT pic.twitter.com/M9GMZiXUH1
— DRX VS (@DRX_VS) May 27, 2024
The following season was less fruitful for DRX. While they retained their tag as one of the top Pacific League squads and placed top six at VALORANT Champions 2023, DRX didn’t win a single event.
DRX have showed some glimpses of greatness early into the 2024 VALORANT esports season, but they’ve failed to establish themselves as one of the top contenders from the region.
With stax’s departure, DRX will have to find a new in-game leader to take over for VCT 2024 Pacific Stage 2. Despite having just three weeks left to find a replacement, DRX have refrained from revealing who might replace the 24-year-old.
Stax’s stepping down from DRX’s active roster marks the third roster change of 2024. In January, DRX parted ways with Goo “Rb” Sang-min and Kim “Zest” Gi-seok, who left for Titan Esports Club and IAM, respectively.
In April, DRX also moved Cho “Flashback” Min-hyuk to the reserve roster after he asked for indefinite leave for personal reasons.
While the Korean side has yet to reveal who will take over for stax, Flashback’s return remains a possibility.
This would allow Kim “MaKo” Myeong-kwan or Kang “BeYN” Ha-bin to take over the IGL role and help DRX field a complete lineup without needing to explore the free-agent market.
