On September 6, 2024, the Portuguese team SAW, a participant in the "VCT 2024 EMEA Ascension" tournament, announced their departure from the competitive Valorant scene.

Reasons for the exit

In an official statement, the organization noted that despite successfully achieving all the goals set in recent months, recent changes in the game’s ecosystem forced them to end the project. The main reason cited is the changes implemented by Riot Games, which made it harder for teams to advance from the Tier 2 scene to the top league. As a result, the team SAW no viable options for continuing their competitive journey.

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Long-term plans disrupted

SAW had planned a long-term project aimed at participating in the Portuguese league and competing for a spot in the 2025 Ascension tournament. However, Riot's changes, including reducing the number of teams from 14 to 12, made these goals nearly impossible to achieve.

The decision was also influenced by the cancellation of Split 3, leaving the team without competitive practice until the end of 2024. As a result, SAW decided to cease participation in Valorant tournaments.

SAW's achievements in Valorant

SAW highlighted successful results since entering the Valorant scene in 2021. The team won the Portuguese Challengers tournaments four times, claimed victories at events like 15Kings Invitational and LGX Arena, and participated in VCT Ascension EMEA twice, reaching the playoffs last year.

Conclusion

The team expressed gratitude to its players and staff for their support and loyalty to the SAW emblem. The organization will continue competing in other disciplines, such as Counter-Strike, where the team has achieved significant success, finishing 3rd-4th at Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024.