What’s next for Sentinels after VCT NA LCQ exit?
No one knows what the future holds.
It was fun while it lasted. The season is over forSentinelsafter their exit from theVCT NA Last Chance Qualifier, following a closely-fought 1-2 loss to100 Thieves.
However, this is probably not the last time we’ll be seeing team, especially with Riot Game’s new franchising model set to roll out in 2023.
While Sentinels have yet to formally lock in a spot in the new Americas league, they are looking like a heavy favorite to do so.
Given thatShopify Rebellioncriticized the selection process as a“popularity contest”when they were rejected — and Sentinels are the most-watched Valorant team on the planet — it seems almost inconceivable that Riot would not select the team that is arguably the face of Valorant for its partnered league.
In their opening match against The Guard in the VCT NA LCQ, Sentinelssmashed viewership recordsfor North American Valorant, with over 608,000 peak concurrent viewers.
Will Sentinels stay together for franchising?
But will we see the same roster? New flex playerJordan “Zellsis” Montemurrohas since returned to Version1, despite earlier tellingDot Esportsthat he was a permanent addition to the team, even beyond the LCQ.
If Sentinels successfully acquire a partnered slot in the Americas league for the VCT 2023 season, Zellsis will be there.
However,Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek’sfuture is a little hazier. The 28-year-old CS:GO pro turned Twitch superstar made his much-anticipated return to pro play for the VCT NA LCQ, but it remains unclear if he will stay with Sentinels or even continue on in the competitive scene.
But fans can take heart knowing that he remains open to the idea of staying in pro Valorant, ifcertain conditions are met.
“If franchising is a thing and it’s in LA, there’s a very good chance I will continue to play professional Valorant,” he said in a recent stream.
He’s also a big believer in thepotential of Sentinels’ roster. “Honestly, I don’t think we’ve gotten close to our ceiling because we’ve been at boot camp for two weeks,” he said. “If this roster would stay together, I think it would be dangerous.”
That said, everything hinges on Riot now. EvenShahzeb “ShahZaM” Khanadmitted that he doesn’t know what’s next for the team. “We’ll have to see what teams makefranchisingand what teams don’t,” he said after their last match.
The current roster has been together for just a month. In comparison, the other LCQ contenders have had far more time to practice.
This is a team that feels like it still has so much more to give — the stars just need to align for that to happen.
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