- The organization continues its roster restructuring
- Munchkin is a veteran of the game as well as a former in-game captain
- He brings aggressive play and flexibility to T1’s roster
T1’s massive overhaul of its VALORANT roster continues with the organization signing former Crazy Raccoon player Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom.
T1 Signs Munchkin
It is not too uncommon for esports organizations to make massive changes in the composition of their teams. Often this comes after an organization performs poorly at an event, and T1 is no exception to that. T1 failed to qualify for the VCT Stage 1 earlier this year, thus it initiated a campaign to restructure its VALORANT roster.
This is why the organization recently added South Korean player Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom. He is a well-rounded veteran, previously a part of Crazy Racoon. As part of the team, Munchkin played at last year’s Masters Berlin event, as well as VALORANT Champions.
T1’s decision to sign Munchkin is a part of the organization’s overall effort to restructure its VALORANT roster, prompted by the previous roster’s failure to qualify for any major event in VCT 2022. The organization’s other recent acquisitions include Munchkin’s fellow Korean player Son “xeta” Seon-ho, as well as coach Yoon “Autumn” Eu-teum. With a mix of NA and Korean talents, T1 hopes to compete in future VALORANT Champions Tour tournaments.
Munchkin’s Path to T1
Munchkin’s signing came at a perfect time both for him and for T1. The player was released from his position as an in-game leader by Crazy Racoon last month, with the language barrier stated as the main reason. But this release turns out to be a good thing for T1, who were in desperate need of fresh talent.
Munchkin’s career did not start with VALORANT, however. His first big foray into the professional esports scene was actually in Overwatch. The Korean star was part of Seoul Dynasty and was the team’s hitscan player. After some time, Munchkin retired from Overwatch and started competing in the VALORANT scene for Cloud9 Korea. It was at this time he met xeta and Autum, alongside which Munchkin is once again on the same team.
The player moved to Crazy Racoon early last year. The Japanese VALORANT team was meant to represent the country internationally. Munchkin would help the team win the VCT 2021 Japan Stage 1 Masters and the Stage 2 Challengers Finals. However, the next two times they competed internationally, the Japanese team ZETA DIVISION beat them in the regional finals, ultimately leading to the organization releasing the Korean player.
Now, T1 will rely on Munchkin’s aggressive duelist play and flexibility to help the team perform better in upcoming VCT events.