Gen.G Esports has announced massive changes to its VALORANT roster, releasing Kim ‘t3xture’ Na-ra, Byeon ‘Munchkin’ Sang-beom, Kim ‘Karon’ Won-tae and Kim ‘Lakia’ Jong-min.
As a result, only two players remain from the 2025 lineup: Ha ‘Ash’ Hyun-cheol and Jung ‘Foxy9’ Jae-sung.
Gen.G currently competes in Riot Games’ franchised VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT); however, the Korean team has been part of the game’s competitive scene since 2020.
This year’s VCT season was full of ups and downs for the organisation. After just coming short of a Masters Bangkok qualification in January, Gen.G placed second in Pacific’s Stage 1 competition to secure a spot at Masters Toronto.
Throughout the second international tournament of the year, Gen.G gained global recognition for its signature Viper/Omen team composition on Haven, which was later adopted by several other top-tier teams.
However, the Korean roster ultimately couldn’t persevere through the Playoffs. Similarly, Gen.G suffered an early Playoffs elimination in VCT Pacific Stage 2.
Gen.G Bids Its Veteran Players Farewell
“While the players have entered free agency, Gen.G remains in positive discussions with them to explore potential opportunities for the future,” stated the organisation in its announcement.
“We are truly grateful for the time shared together and look forward to seeing their continued growth and achievements ahead.”
Though coming from vastly different competitive backgrounds, Karon, Munchkin, t3xture and Lakia had all been with Gen.G since 2023.
Together with former teammate Kim ‘Meteor’ Tae-oh, the four players secured Gen.G’s best international VALORANT results thus far: a second-place finish at Masters Madrid 2024 and the Masters Shanghai 2024 trophy.
On his personal X (formerly Twitter) account, Munchkin shared: “The end of my journey with Gen.G. 2024–2025 with Gen.G has been such a meaningful and happy time. I’ve made the best memories and achieved the best moments of my career here. Every year as a player taught me something new, but Gen.G gave me true turning points in life.
“To all the Gen.G fans I know many of you expected a lot from us this year, and I’m sorry we couldn’t live up to all those hopes. Still, I’m truly grateful for every bit of support and love you’ve given. Thank you, always.”
Gen.G Also Makes Coaching Staff Changes
In addition to the roster update, Gen.G announced the departure of its coaching staff today. This includes former Head Coach Kang ‘solo’ Keun-chul as well as Coaches Kim ‘HSK’ Hae-seong and Jung ‘peri’ Beom-gi.
“We’re grateful for their leadership and dedication throughout the 2025 season, guiding and supporting the team every step of the way,” commented Gen.G.
“While they will be departing following the conclusion of their contracts, Gen.G continues to engage in positive discussions and remains open to potential future collaborations.”
