French esports organisation Gentle Mates has officially announced the release of its entire Valorant roster. The five players who led the team to its first-ever international event, Masters Santiago 2026, are now exploring new options. The decision clears the way for a complete lineup rebuild ahead of the VCT 2027 season.
The following players have entered free agency:
- Patrik "Minny" Hušek
- Yusuf Emre "Proxh" Tunc
- Martin "marteen" Pátek
- Patryk "starxo" Kopczyński
- Joona "H1ber" Parviainen
The roster was largely built for the 2026 season—retaining only one player from the previous lineup—and combined international scene debutants with a former Valorant Champions winner. In their farewell message, the organisation expressed gratitude to the players for writing a new page in the club's history.
Overall, it was a year of contrasts for the squad. Following a strong start with a runner-up finish in VCT EMEA and qualification for Masters Santiago 2026 (placing 7th–8th), results steadily declined, leaving the team out of contention for further international spots. Despite a weak second half of the season, Gentle Mates retain their VCT partner status for 2027 and 2028, guaranteeing them a place in the Kickoff tournament.
Martin "marteen" Pátek shed some light on the reasons behind the split. Shortly after the announcement, he posted a message thanking fans for their unwavering support while admitting that "the internal issues were too much and hard for me to pretend it's okay." The player did not reveal the exact nature of the conflict.
Hints of internal friction first surfaced back in September. During a livestream, marteen claimed that someone was deliberately leaking information to portray him in a negative light, suggesting he might share more details once his contract expires.
None of the five players have announced a new team yet. The official VCT transfer window opens on November 2.
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