Ardis "ardiis" Svarenieks has announced that he is a restricted free agent for the 2025 VCT season. Despite returning to the FunPlus Phoenix FunPlus Phoenix Inactive SUYGETSU Dmitry Ilyushin Zyppan Pontus Eek ANGE1 Kyrylo Karasov Shao Andrey Kiprsky ardiis Ardis Svarenieks core that led to his Masters Copenhagen victory, ardiis and Natus Vincere Natus Vincere Europe Rank #20 ANGE1 Kyrylo Karasov Shao Andrey Kiprsky have decided to part ways after a season of lackluster results, although he remains under contract with the organization.

ardiis has been a prominent figure in Valorant esports since its inception. He initially joined G2 Esports G2 Esports Inactive in 2020, where he secured multiple victories in the European Valorant Ignition Series. After failing to qualify for multiple Masters events, ardiis parted ways with G2 and briefly joined Team Heretics Team Heretics Europe Rank #1 MiniBoo Dominykas Lukaševičius Wo0t Mert Alkan RieNs Enes Ecirli benjyfishy Benjamin David Fish Boo Ričardas Lukaševičius . Following an early exit in open qualifiers with Team Heretics, he found a new home with FunPlus Phoenix, where he dominated the VCT in 2022. Although the team could not attend Masters Reykjavik despite winning Stage 1, they achieved significant international success, lifting the Masters Copenhagen trophy and finishing fourth at Champions Istanbul.

FPX ardiis lifts the Masters trophy at Copenhagen ardiis lifts an international trophy at Masters Copenhagen (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games).

ardiis decided to venture overseas in 2023, joining NRG Esports NRG Esports North America Rank #3 FiNESSE Pujan Mehta s0m Sam Oh Verno Andrew Maust mada Adam Pampuch Ethan Ethan Arnold and one of North America's most successful cores. The team experienced moderate success, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at Masters Tokyo. Still, they ultimately failed to reach their heights of the previous year, especially after an early exit at Champions Los Angeles.

In 2024, ardiis rejoined NAVI with hopes of rekindling their past success. However, the team failed to qualify for either Masters event after two single-elimination losses to Team Heretics—the first time any of the players had been eliminated so early since 2021. Their form deteriorated further in Stage 2, managing only a single group stage win before being swiftly eliminated in the playoffs by Team Vitality Team Vitality Europe Rank #9 trexx Nikita Cherednichenko Derke Nikita Sirmitev Kicks Kimmie Laasner Sayf Saif Jibraeel Less Felipe de Loyola Basso .

Despite the team's lack of success, ardiis will be a compelling option for teams looking to rebuild for 2025, given his strong individual performance and increased agent flexibility in 2024, though teams may need to pay a buyout to NAVI to acquire him.

Natus Vincere Natus Vincere Europe Rank #20 ANGE1 Kyrylo Karasov Shao Andrey Kiprsky are now:

  • Kyrylo "ANGE1" Karasov
  • Andrey "Shao" Kiprsky
  • Dmitry "SUYGETSU" Ilyushin
  • Oliwer "LATEKS" Fahlander (Head coach)
  • Urszula "Xirreth" Klimczak (Performance coach)
  • Berke "Vlad" Kantürk (Analyst)