Log in

Laz officially steps down from ZETA Division

Laz officially steps down from ZETA Division

Ganesh Jadhav

Ganesh Jadhav

27 Jul, 2024, 09:41

|

Last updated: 9 Apr, 2025, 15:03

One of the biggest VALORANT stars of Japan, Ushida “Laz” Koji has decided to step down from the ZETA Division roster.

The former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player switched to VALORANT in 2020 with Absolute Jupiter, a team Laz has been on since 2015.

He quickly rose through the ranks to be the best VALORANT player in Japan. Along with his teammates, Laz dominated every competition in Japan, winning the First Strike Japan.

They placed 2nd at VCT Masters Japan and missed out on Reykjavik in 2021 after another loss to Crazy Racoon. Absolute Jupiter rebranded as ZETA Division and qualified for Masters Berlin, but lost early.

ZETA Division absolutely dominated 2022 Challengers and made a miracle run at Masters Reykjavik 2022, placing third after losing to Optic Gaming. Laz was the MVP for the squad, sometimes single-handedly winning games for the team.

They lost to Northeption, missing out on Masters Copenhagen 2023. The points helped them to qualify for VALORANT Champions 2022, but bailed out in the group stage. 2023 was a disappointing year for ZETA Division, as they failed to perform up to par. While they did qualify for VALORANT Champions 2023 via the VCT Pacific LCQ, they still struggled internationally. 2024 wasn’t any different, as they missed all three International tournaments.

With two back-to-back disappointing years, Laz has decided to step down from ZETA Division. He will stick to streaming for the organization.

With VALORANT Champions 2024 having just concluded, the off-season officially kicks off.

Stay tuned on Strafe for all the latest news.

Featured Image Credits: VCT Pacific

Read More:

ZmjjKK breaks VALORANT Esports Bo5 Kill Record; named MVP of VALORANT Champions 2024

"This is just the beginning" EDward Gaming lift VALORANT Champions 2024 trophy

Latest news

G2 Esports Exit VALORANT Masters London Without a Single Win

Day two of VALORANT Masters London turned into a nightmare for VCT Americas top seed G2 Esports, as the tournament favorites were eliminated without securing a single series win. Coming into the event with high expectations, the Americas champions instead exit in 7th–8th place, marking one of their most disappointing international showings.

Kaustavmani Choudhury

Esports Foundation Bets $2M on Creators to Bring EWC and ENC to Every Corner of the World

The Esports Foundation just made a major move for content creators. On June 11, 2026, the organization behind the Esports World Cup and the Esports Nations Cup officially opened applications for its 2026 Creator Program, the largest co-streaming initiative esports has ever seen, and it is backing it up with a $2 million investment in creator rewards.

VALORANT Masters London 2026 Playoffs Pick'Ems Guide

VALORANT Masters London picks back up tomorrow on June 12th with the start of the Playoffs Stage and the entry of the 4 1st seeds to the tournament. With it also comes the second phase of the Pick’Ems challenge and 8 teams in a fresh double-elimination bracket.

VALORANT Masters London Playoffs Draw Set: Full Bracket and Opening Matchups Revealed

VALORANT Masters London has officially locked in its playoff bracket after a dramatic conclusion to the Swiss Stage, where XLG Esports completed a reverse sweep over Global Esports to claim the final spot.

Kaustavmani Choudhury

The Champions Are Out: FUT Sends NRG Packing at Masters London 2026

FUT Esports just pulled off one of the most stunning results of VALORANT Masters London 2026. The Turkish squad outlasted NRG in a 2-1 thriller at the Copper Box Arena, ending the reigning world champions' run in the Swiss stage and booking a spot in the playoffs.

My VALORANT Card Introduced: Everything You Need to Know

Riot Games is introducing something new in Patch 12.11 — My VALORANT Card. A new way to quickly summarize who YOU are as a VALORANT player in an easily viewable and shareable card. Here's everything you need to know to get set up.

Vitality and Leviatán Advance to Playoffs at VALORANT Masters London

Team Vitality and Leviatán secured their spots in the VALORANT Masters London playoffs following intense three-map battles on Day 3 of the Swiss Stage.

Kaustavmani Choudhury

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match