ZETA DIVISION has announced the departure of VALORANT players Hikaru ‘CLZ’ Mizutani and Kim ‘TenTen’ Tae-young.
The news comes roughly a month after both athletes began exploring other options for the 2026 season as restricted agents.
Previously a professional Fortnite player, CLZ transitioned to VALORANT esports in 2020, where he won several Challengers Japan competitions. In October last year, the Japanese player signed with ZETA ahead of the 2025 VCT Pacific season.
“Thank you very much to my teammates, staff, and fans who have made their voices heard at all times,” shared CLZ in a press release.
“We will not waste the experience and frustration we have gained here, and we will continue to challenge ourselves to the next stage with all our might.”
Unlike his former teammate, TenTen has only been part of ZETA’s VALORANT roster since April this year. The younger brother of Kim ‘Meteor’ Tae-oh commenced his esports career in late 2022.
Prior to his time at ZETA, TenTen played for T1’s Academy team with which he placed third at Challengers 2025: Korea Stage 1.
TenTen also commented on today’s announcement: “I was really happy to be able to make my debut in the Pacific League in Japan and with my dreamy team, ZETA DIVISION, with my best friends. I hope you will continue to receive a lot of support from now on!”
ZETA DIVISION’s 2025 Performance
ZETA DIVISION has been competing in VALORANT since 2020, growing a significant fandom especially among the game’s Japanese audience.
One crucial reason for the organiation’s popularity is its association with former roster member Koji ‘Laz’ Ushida. Even after his retirement, ZETA kept Laz signed as a content creator who helps attract impressive viewership numbers for his team.
As a partner team, ZETA has a secure slot in Riot Games’ franchised VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) until 2027. However, the Japanese organisation has struggled to keep up with other VCT Pacific competitors year-on-year.
Following a third-place at Masters Reykjavík 2022 and a Champions attendence in the same year, ZETA has failed to qualify for another international tournament. This trend persisted throughout 2025 as the roster suffered early elimination at VCT Pacific’s Kickoff, Stage 1 and Stage 2 competitions.
Interestingly, though, ZETA was the only team in Stage 2 to defeat Masters Toronto champion Paper Rex, highlighting the slumbering potential of the former roster.
