Riot Games terminates TALON Esports' VCT Pacific Partnership

Riot Games has announced the termination of its partnership contract with TALON, effectively removing the team from the VCT Pacific. The decision, declared on November 18, 2025, stems from TALON's failure to meet league standards, particularly related to financial management and player payments.

Reason for Termination

According to Riot Games, TALON Esports exhibited “a pattern of significantly overdue payments to players and an inability to demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to continue participating in the VCT.” Despite Riot's efforts to work closely with TALON and extend deadlines for improvements over the past month, TALON was unable to rectify the issues to meet the league's operational standards. This has led to the difficult choice of terminating their partnership to preserve the integrity and professionalism of the league.

Impact on Players and League

Riot Games has informed the players affected by this decision and assured that they are welcome to explore other opportunities within Riot's esports ecosystem. Jake Sin, Head of VALORANT Esports APAC and VCT Pacific, expressed sympathy and support for the displaced players, and has also promised to support them using whatever means necessary.

“I have spoken directly with the affected players about their options. They are more than welcome in our ecosystem, whether as part of another team or even across multiple teams.”

Sin also announced that Riot is conducting a selective competitive application process to find a replacement team in the VCT Pacific, prioritizing a team that resonates with the Thai community to maintain regional representation.

Parallel with BLEED Esports

This event echoes a similar situation last year when BLEED Esports was removed from the 2025 VCT Pacific season for comparable financial and operational issues. In that instance, BOOM Esports, who had finished second at the VCT Ascension Pacific 2024, replaced BLEED.

Many fans have joked that BOOM Esports could once again step into the vacant VCT Pacific spot under similar circumstances. But this seems very unlikely, since BOOM is an Indonesian organization, and not from Thailand.

TALON Esports' Response

In response to Riot’s announcement, TALON Esports issued a statement expressing deep regret over their departure from VALORANT. They acknowledged Riot's decision and the collaborative efforts to address the problems.

TALON attributed their financial difficulties mainly to delays in securing funding from a financing round initially scheduled for earlier in the year, which severely impacted their esports operations. The organization stated that their current focus is to ensure their roster can continue competing under a new banner, working closely with Riot to facilitate a smooth transition.

Looking Ahead

With TALON Esports removed, Riot Games now faces the task of selecting a new partner organization that meets its stringent standards for participation in tier-1 VALORANT competition. This decision will shape the competitive landscape of the VCT Pacific in 2026, while also serving as a reminder of the financial and operational challenges esports organizations face in sustaining their presence at this level. The community awaits further updates on the replacement team and the continuing evolution of the VCT Pacific circuit.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image Source: Riot Games/Edited by THESPIKE.GG