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Natus Vincere officially announce ardiis
After a disappointing VCT 2023 season, Natus Vincere Valorant has decided to bring in reinforcements to solidify their roster. And the reinforcement comes in the form of Ardis “ardiis” Svarenieks. The move will mark the reunion of 2022 VCT Masters Copenhagen winning FunPlus Phoenix roster.
ardiis’ VCT 2023:
The 2022 EMEA FunPlus Phoenix squad was one of the strongest Valorant rosters of the year. Despite the VISA troubles, the FPX squad displayed utmost resilience and made an amazing run to secure the VCT Masters Copenhagen 2022. They also placed fourth at the Valorant Champions 2022.
When the VCT 2023 partnership program was announced, the FPX squad decided to sign with Natus Vincere. The only exception was ardiis, who made a surprising decision to play as an import in NA with NRG.
NRG, composed of the former Optic squad, was another promising roster for the year 2023. While the team definitely had some amazing games, they weren't consistent. ardiis didn't seem to fit well within the roster and they struggled throughout the year.
The team barely missed out on the LOCK//IN playoffs, but struggled in the VCT Americas League 2023. The team did comeback and secured 2nd place in the playoffs and 3rd at Tokyo. But the debutante BLG eliminated them from the Valorant Champions 2023 group stage. These results reflect the inconsistency of the NRG squad throughout the year.
After their Champions exit, NRG 'reportedly' released FNS, s0m and ardiis. FNS and s0m's exit was confirmed recently. But ardiis' announcement was pending.
Natus Vincere struggles:
The rest of the former FPX squad wasn't particularly thriving either. After picking up an upgrade in Acend's Turkish star cNed, the squad wasn't amongst the top squads in EMEA.
They had an amazing LOCK//IN run, but fell short against their regional rivals in FNATIC. Natus Vincere did well in EMEA but they looked like a shell of their former FPX self.
The struggles only escalated when they were eliminated from Tokyo and had to qualify via VCT EMEA LCQ for Valorant Champions 2023. They were eliminated by LOUD from Valorant Champions 2023 group stage. While the squad definitely was strong on paper, they couldn't stand up to their own expectations.
According to Natus Vincere's coach, the team struggled to find their identity and found themselves experimenting the whole time. Additionally, the limited off-time between events took a toll on the Natus Vincere Valorant squad.
A FPX reunion in Natus Vincere:
With VCT 2024 on the horizon, it is certain that Natus Vincere will make changes. A few days ago, multiple sources reported ardiis reuniting with his ex-teammates.
On 27th September, The VCT Global Contract database was updated with ardiis’ move. Earlier today, 11th October, NaVi officially released Mehmet “cNed” İpek in preparation for Ardiis' return. Shortly after the officially welcomed ardiis back into the roster.
The reunion definitely sparks joy in the hearts of Natus Vincere, ardiis and old-FPX fans. The video also takes little jabs at ardiis' NRG move. The future seems bright for Natus Vincere and it'd be fun to see how the reunited-FPX squad will perform under the Natus Vincere banner.
To keep up-to-date with the latest Valorant news, follow our updated rostermania tracker here on Strafe Esports.
Featured Image Credits: Colin Young-Wolff// Riot Games
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