Cloud9 has announced Erick ‘Xeppaa’ Bach’s decision to step away from Competitive Valorant, with the player moving to the bench immediately.
The player, who has been on Cloud9 since 2021, did not play for Cloud9 in the Esports World Qualifier campaign, where the team lost to ENVY and Sentinels to miss out on EWC 2026.
Cloud9 is facing a total rebuild after Xeppaa benching
Cloud9 shared that Xeppaa would “take a break from competing,” stating that they were beginning trials for a replacement in the meantime.
The org stated that they were “focused on finding the right fit for the team and building for the remainder of the season and beyond.
After EWC elimination and a last-place Finish in Group Alpha of VCT Americas Stage 1, the team now has plenty of time to consider its next move, but that move may prove to be the most difficult in the org’s history, as Xeppaa ends his long tenure in the team in a time of roster chaos in C9.
The news closely follows the May 1 departure of Erik ‘penny’ Penny, which was followed by news on May 8 that Victor ‘v1c’ Truong would be taking a break from competitive Valorant. The announcement cited mental health and well-being.
Following the changes, the active Cloud9 Valorant roster is now:
Francis ‘OXY’ Hoang
Jordan ‘Zellsis’ Montemurro
Jack ‘jackk’ Foote
Jaden ‘notexdd’ Anderson
Xeppaa explains decision to step away
Xeppaa shared on social media that he had “been thinking about taking a break for a while now and never really found the right time to bring it up to the team, but after the split ended with Penny and Vic leaving, I realized that I really needed a break and told the team.”
The player then expressed gratitude to the org, stating, “C9’s been really great to me over the years, and it still doesn’t feel real, but I feel like it is the right thing for me right now.”
Xeppaa then gave an update on his plans, stating he would be streaming while remaining part of the team during the trial period.
Before thanking his teammates and the org, sharing, “I want to personally thank my current and former teammates, staff from C9, and everyone that I have ever met through C9. So grateful to have an opportunity to play video games for a living.
“Thank you Jack Etienne and Cloud9 for everything and making a home for me here. Thank you to all the fans and the support you guys have shown me over the years. Will always be grateful.”
What does the future of Cloud9’s VCT roster look like? Let us know what changes you want on our Discord!
For more Valorant news, see what’s coming in the 13.00 Patch.
Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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