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KOI Esports has announced the acquisition of Patryk “starxo” Kopczyński. This move marks the completion of KOI’s Valorant roster, which now consists of five talented players ready to compete in the upcoming VCT 2023 season.
The Spanish esports franchise, co-founded by streamer Ibai Llanos and retired footballer Gerard Piqué, took to its official Twitter page to announce the completion of its roster with the signing of former Acend player and 2021 world champion.
“Welcome to the team, @starxo5! We can’t wait to see what you bring to the table as the final member of our VALORANT squad. Pending Riot’s approval,” KOI announced.
After a lengthy VALORANT offseason, all 30 partnered teams in the Americas, EMEA, and Pacific leagues have finally filled their starting rosters ahead of the beginning of the VCT partnership era. The roster will make its debut at the VCT 2023: LOCK//IN Sao Paulo tournament, which is scheduled on February 13 and run through to March 4.
It was not surprising when starxo signed with KOI as it had been previously reported that he was expected to join the team. However, he was unable to do so at the same time as the rest of the starting roster due to the status of his Acend contract. Now that his contract has expired and he has exited Acend, his journey with KOI can officially begin.
In mid-December, KOI officially signed all players of its roster aside from starxo, including the former Guild in-game leader Jose “koldamenta” Herrero, 18-years old flex player Nikita “trexx” Cherednichenko, former Gambit Esports player Bogdan “Sheydos”, and Bulgarian Berkant “Wolfen” Joshkun. The team will be coached by André “BARBARR” Möller, the former Guild coach.
This move marks the final piece of the puzzle for KOI as they look to establish themselves as a top Valorant team. With a complete roster of talented players and a strong support staff, the team is poised to make a strong showing in the coming months. Valorant fans can expect to see KOI competing in various tournaments and leagues, as they look to prove themselves on the global stage.
During the offseason, several teams including Fnatic, and Team Liquid also strengthened their rosters by recruiting players from the Guild and M3C teams, as KOI is not the only team with players from both top teams. Team Liquid, NAVI, Karmine Corp, and Heretics are also some of the franchises that boast a formidable roster.
When the KOI and EMEA teams start playing in the VCT this year, they will not only be competing against each other. To start the 2023 VCT season, all 30 teams will go to the LOCK//IN event in São Paulo and participate in a three-week tournament instead of the usual first split of a VCT season.
Overall, the acquisition of starxo is a major win for KOI, and fans can expect to see great things from the team in the future. His addition to the KOI roster is expected to bring a new level of strategy and flexibility to the team’s playstyle. With a solid roster and a clear vision for success, KOI is well-positioned to make a splash in the Valorant esports scene.
