UPDATE: BONECOLD has also been released from Acend. The article has been updated to reflect this change.
After over four weeks on the sidelines, Vlad "Kiles" Shvets and Santeri "BONECOLD" Sassi have been released from Acend Acend Inactive ALIVE Gilad Hakim musashi Alessio Xhaferi pyrolll Artur Minin cullumx Nikolaj Cullum Andersen chiwa Egor Stepanyuk .
He was with us from the very beginning and took us all the way to champions. We thank him for everything that he has done, and wish him nothing but the best in his next adventure🤝
Buena Suerte, Kilesito
We had the great pleasure to see you grow from a nutty player to a true leader, and we are superexcited to follow the next steps in your journey.
Thanks for everything and best of luck! 🦴🥶
Kiles is the first player to be released from Acend since the team dropped Jose "koldamenta" Luis Aranguren in 2021. He was benched nearly two weeks after Acend's IGL BONECOLD, as both players exited following a disappointing start to the 2022 VCT season.
Acend are in talks to replace Kiles and BONECOLD with Ondřej "MONSTEERR" Petrů and Vakaris "vakk" Bebravičius, according to Dexerto. Kiles has also been seen practicing with Giants Gaming Giants Gaming Inactive Redgar Igor Vlasov Fit1nho Adolfo Gallego nukkye Žygimantas Chmieliauskas hoody Aaro Peltokangas Cloud Kirill Nehozhin .
The two were one of the four members of the original Acend Acend Inactive ALIVE Gilad Hakim musashi Alessio Xhaferi pyrolll Artur Minin cullumx Nikolaj Cullum Andersen chiwa Egor Stepanyuk roster who went on to win the Stage 1: Masters in 2021. The team had a lackluster Stage 2 but, after welcoming Aleksander "zeek" Zygmunt, flipped their form and reached the quarterfinals of Stage 3: Masters Berlin. They peaked in Champions of last year, where they won a nailbiter grand final to become the first-ever Valorant World Champions.
Acend's Stage 1: EMEA Challengers performance left them fifth in their group's standings. Losses to FNATIC FNATIC Europe Unranked crashies Austin Roberts Boaster Jake Howlett kaajak Kajetan Haremski Chronicle Timofey Khromov Alfajer Emir Ali Beder , Guild Esports Guild Esports Inactive , and BBL Esports BBL Esports Europe Unranked Jamppi Elias Olkkonen sociablEE Volkan Yonal chiwa Egor Stepanyuk PROFEK Dawid Święć LewN Burak Alkan placed the team outside playoffs contention, bringing an early end to their run.
Acend Acend Inactive ALIVE Gilad Hakim musashi Alessio Xhaferi pyrolll Artur Minin cullumx Nikolaj Cullum Andersen chiwa Egor Stepanyuk are still: