Cloud9 has locked in its VALORANT lineup for the 2027 season. The organisation announced on November 7, 2026, that Torogul "alym" Baidyldaev, Derrek "Derrek" Ha and Christian "nightz" Smith are joining the team.

According to Cloud9, the open trial period has ended.

For bettors following the North American scene, the new five now has a firm date on the calendar: the Kickoff qualifier playoffs on November 20.

Meet The New Five

Cloud9 confirmed the signings in a post on X. The message stated that the trials were finished and the roster was set, listing Cameron "FireBallOps" Tomaselli, Conner "GLYPH" Garcia, alym, Derrek and nightz.

FireBallOps is the lone holdover from the squad that closed out 2026. GLYPH signed earlier in the week and is back at the top level after a gap of nearly five years, according to VLR.gg.

Each of the three new arrivals brings Tier 1 experience. alym played entry duelist for FURIA in 2026 and, per Spike.gg, picked up a regional title with that roster. nightz came in to ENVY partway through the season, mostly on controller duty.

Derrek carries the deepest résumé of the trio. He competed for M80 and QoR in 2026 and has also suited up for Rise, 100 Thieves and Evil Geniuses in the past.

Why Cloud9 Rebuilt

Cloud9 missed out on one of the four North American partner slots for the next stage of the Valorant Champions Tour. That decision set off a roster overhaul.

Jackk and v1c were given permission to look elsewhere. IGL Zellsis and veteran OXY departed, and both have since signed with Sentinels.

Import rules added another layer of difficulty. Spike.gg reports that North American teams could use no more than two import slots, which cut down the choices for a team hunting recent Tier 1 talent.

Ian "Immi" Harding stays on the coaching staff with the five players.

The Road Ahead

Cloud9 enters the Americas Kickoff qualifier playoffs on November 20, the team's own announcement confirmed. Spike.gg lists them among eight invited North American sides, a group that also includes ENVY, Shopify Rebellion Black, SaD Esports, YFP X, QoR and Shopify Rebellion Gold.

An invite is not a guaranteed spot at Kickoff. It drops a team directly into the 16-team playoff bracket late in the qualifier instead of making it grind through the open stage.

VLR.gg has Cloud9 at No. 13 in its North America rankings. Shopify Rebellion Black, by contrast, sits at No. 5. The playoff field will pit Cloud9 against several settled rosters, and early results should reveal quickly whether the rebuild is paying off.

You can size up the new lineups on our esports betting hub, and anyone planning to wager on matches should stick to licensed operators.

Our responsible gambling guide walks through how to set limits before you place a bet.

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