T1 added the former Gen.G Esports VALORANT player Kang “iNTRO” Seung-gyun to its VALORANT roster today after parting ways with former sixth-man Kim “BeonJun” Beom-jun.
BeonJun joined T1 in October 2022 but wasn’t utilized at either the Ludwig x Tarik Invitational in January 2023 or at VCT LOCK//IN São Paulo in February 2023. INTRO, on the other hand, had been on the sidelines since he left Gen.G last December. It’s more likely that we’ll just fill the role of a sixth player during VCT Pacific League instead of taking a spot in the active lineup as T1 hasn’t announced that one of the five players is stepping down to a substitute position.
INTRO has way more experience than BeonJun as he competed alongside the best players in Korea between 2021 and 2022 in domestic VCT tournaments for teams like DWG KIA and REJECT. T1 could utilize him down the road if the squad don’t show improvements at VCT Pacific League, in comparison to their results so far in 2023.
T1 finished last place at the Ludwig x Tarik Invitational following defeats to two NA Challengers League teams The Guard and TSM, and were knocked out by FURIA in the first round of the Omega group at VCT LOCK//IN in two one-sided maps (13-7 on Pearl and 13-7 on Icebox).
That said, T1 are expected to do better at VCT Pacific League against regional competitors. The organization is also one of the biggest selected for the partnership program not only in Asia but across all regions.
VCT Pacific League will run from March 25 to May 28 and the top three teams will qualify for VCT Masters Tokyo in June and VALORANT Champions Los Angeles in August. T1 will compete alongside DRX, Paper Rex, Gen.G, ZETA DIVISION, Team Secret, Detonation FocusMe, Global Esports, Talon Esports, and Rex Regum Qeon.
