North American organization Cloud9 have practiced with former CS:GO player Erick “Xeppaa” Bach, sources told Upcomer June 12.
Xeppaa played with the roster in place of Michael “poiz” Possis. While it remains likely Xeppaa will join the active roster it’s unclear if the move is permanent. The organization retains a six man roster which allows each player to be interchangeable, however.
Cloud9 will compete in the VALORANT Championship Tour Stage 3, which will begin either later this July or June. Organizer Riot Games has not announced the start date of the tournament, however.
Cloud9’s record in VCT without Xeppaa
Cloud9 Blue is considered one of the best teams in North America. The organization finished third in the VALORANT Champions Tour 2021: North America Stage 2 Challengers Finals in early May. The organization is ranked sixth best in the region, according to VLR.gg.
Cloud9 failed to take down both Sentinels and Version1 but managed to secure one map from each team respectively. Cloud9 defeated Envy and NRG Esports in VCT Stage 2 to finish in third place.
Both Version1 and Sentinels would later represent the region at VCT Stage 2 Masters in Reykjavík, Iceland.
Cloud9 had a successful run during VCT Stage 2 Challengers 2, which concluded on April 25. Despite the recent roster changes and minimal practice with the new players, Cloud9 reached the finals. But Sentinels, the best team in North America, took down Cloud9 3-0 to win the event.
Ricky “floppy” Kemery and Xeppaa joined the organization on April 19. Both players competed under the Cloud9 banner in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive but the organization shut the project down in late March. Floppy was promoted to the active roster while Xeppaa is yet to start for the team.
If Cloud9 promote Xeppaa to the active roster, the organization would field the following players for Stage 3:
- Xeppaa
- Floppy
- Mitch “mitch” Semago
- Nathan “leaf” Orf
- Son “xeta” Seon-ho
- Poiz (inactive)
