In a significant development for the VCT Pacific scene, Riot Games has officially terminated Talon Esports’ partnership in the league, effective immediately. The decision, announced on 18 November 2025, marks the end of Talon’s run as a partner team in the region.
According to Riot, Talon failed to operate in accordance with league standards. The organization reportedly had a ‘pattern of significantly overdue payments’ to players and was unable to demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to continue participating in VCT. Riot stated that they engaged with Talon for over a month, granting extensions in hopes of remediation, but ultimately found their efforts insufficient.
As a result of the booting of the org from the league, Talon’s VALORANT roster has been released and players are free to pursue opportunities with other organizations under Riot’s ecosystem. Meanwhile, Riot has launched a selective application process to find a replacement team for the vacant Pacific slot, prioritizing a candidate that resonates with the Thai VALORANT community.
Multiple reports make clear that the root of Talon’s removal was financial instability, particularly relating to payroll. Talon had long been under scrutiny for delayed payments to players not only in VALORANT, but across its broader esports divisions. The organisation made a statement in August related to this, mentioning payment delays and assuring all players and staff that the outstanding payments would be cleared by the end of September. According to their statement released today after the Riot news broke, the organization was hit by delays in a planned funding round intended to cover operational costs and salaries.
In its own public response, Talon expressed ‘deep sadness’ at the termination. The org acknowledged the struggles and pledged to work with Riot to ensure that its players are properly supported during a transition to new teams.
Talon’s exit is not limited to VALORANT. Riot also announced the termination of Talon’s partnership in the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP), citing the same financial failings. For LCP, Talon was a significant fixture, representing a major organization in the region’s top-tier League of Legends competition. Under the PSG Talon name, the team attended four Mid-Season Invitationals and five World Championships.
With Talon removed from both leagues, Riot must now identify replacement teams quickly. According to Riot’s APAC esports leadership, finding a partner who can carry Talon’s legacy in the Thai community is a priority.
Talon’s roster — as of the announcement — includes several known names in the Pacific VALORANT scene, such as Thanamethk “Crws” Mahatthananuyut, Tanate “killua” Teerasawad, Anupong “thyy” Preamsak, Jittana “JitBoyS” Nokngam, Papaphat “primmie” Sriprapha, and Thanachart “Surf” Rungapajaratkul. Several of the organization’s staff have also been impacted, such as their social media manager, editor, and more.
Riot has confirmed that those players are free to explore other teams within its competitive ecosystem, whether on existing partner teams or new entries. Talon has stated that its ‘current priority’ is facilitating this transition for its roster, assisting with any move to new organizations. The roster had narrowly missed out on qualifying for Champions Paris, only one game away from making it, but RRQ denied them the international stage. Now, with most VCT teams having locked their rosters, the fate of the players remains a question mark, although it is possible that whichever team jumps in to take Talon’s slot might sign them.
Talon’s removal is one of the most high-profile partnership terminations in the VCT ecosystem to date. The organization had been part of the league since its early days, and despite middling international results, it was a stable and visible partner in the region. This is the second team removed by Riot in the Pacific region for financial issues, with BLEED Esports being the first. In the case of BLEED, they were replaced by that year’s Ascension Runner-Up: BOOM Esports for the 2025 season. Funnily enough, BOOM was the runner-up team this year as well, coming third at Ascension and narrowly missing out on the two available promotion slots to VCT Pacific.
Riot has already begun reviewing APAC organizations to fill Talon’s spot in VCT Pacific. According to Riot, they are conducting a selective competitive application process, with a stated preference for groups that can meaningfully connect with Talon’s existing fanbase. Names like FULL SENSE and BOOM Esports have been mentioned as possible replacements, but it remains to be seen which team will take Talon’s place. Talon’s removal from both VCT Pacific and LCP underscores the financial pressures and operational demands at the top levels of esports. It is a stark reminder that partnership status in Riot’s leagues demands both competitive performance and fiscal stability.
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