As of now, we have entered the year 2024, and tournaments are beginning to stir back to life. Teams are starting to announce their finalized rosters for the new season. Of course, VCS is slightly slower than other regions due to the Lunar New Year festivities. However, teams like GAM Esports, Vikings Esports… have begun to announce their lineups. Notably, within the player community, there have been future announcements, particularly from Slayder recently.
After the uproar when leaving GAM, Slayder has remained silent for quite some time. It was only recently that he began to resurface by participating in the APAC server – a server established by Riot for professional teams to practice before the new season’s patches. Many speculate that Slayder might have found a new home but hasn’t announced it yet. However, the reigning VCS champion recently announced that he will take a break in Spring 2024 and will focus solely on livestreaming.
In response, many opinions suggest that it could be because Slayder currently has “no team willing to recruit him,” leading to his unemployment. According to these views, the main reason stems from Slayder’s performance during his season with GAM. Once regarded as a top-tier ADC in VCS, Slayder’s ego is perceived to be too high. Moreover, the team’s strategy of “feeding” the ADC only makes sense when that ADC is capable enough to maintain their position and deal damage. However, during the recent 2023 World Championship, Slayder failed to demonstrate this. Not to mention, GAM has never been a team known for “feeding” their ADC. For many years, GAM’s focus has been on the top lane, with the trio of Kiaya – Levi – Kati showcasing enough talent, experience, and composure.
Slayder’s decision to take a break seems to be a reasonable choice. However, finding a new team midway through the season will be even more challenging. Many fans are also quite skeptical about Slayder’s potential “comeback” in the future.