Nothing is guaranteed in pro VALORANT, and that includes most player contracts. But the lengths of these contracts still give us an insight as to how valued players are to their organizations—and there are two players who their teams seem keen on keeping around for a long time.
The offseason between the 2023 and 2024 VCT seasons is ongoing, with fans still waiting for teams like Evil Geniuses and NRG to do something. But across the pond in VCT Pacific, a couple of rookie players have signed deals that last until 2027, according to the Global Contract Database: Cho “Flashback” Min-hyuk of DRX and Noel “NDG” Guia of Team Secret.
These contracts are the longest-running of any player in VCT Americas, EMEA, and Pacific (the GCD currently does not display contracts for VCT China), and theoretically means these players are tied to their teams for the next four seasons. Of course, we say “theoretically” because these deals, unlike those seen in traditional mainstream sports, are not guaranteed.
Who is Flashback?
While NDG joins a Team Secret roster that stayed in the middle of the pack of VCT Pacific last year, Flashback enters a situation with sky-high expectations. DRX have always been a top team across the global VCT system, but that trophy at an international event or a domestic league continues to avoid them.
Prior to joining the main roster, Flashback played under the DRX Prospects banner but had already made his debut this offseason in stand-in performances at the TEN Global Invitational and Red Bull Homeground 4. Primarily a Viper player, he showed flashes of excellence on Viper throughout both events, most notably when he topped the scoreboard in a comeback series against EDward Gaming.
Together with MaKo, DRX can go into any match in VCT 2024 with the best controller duo in the world. And with that, their trophy drought could very well come to an end.
