NRG signs Keiko to replace s0m for VCT 2026

Reigning VALORANT Champion NRG has announced the signing of Georgio ‘keiko’ Sanassy for next year’s VCT season.

The former Team Liquid player will replace Sam ‘s0m’ Oh, who recently announced a competitive break to focus on content creation.

Keiko first began competing in the European VALORANT tier-2 scene in 2021. He also spent the 2023 Challengers season with esports organisation Apeks, during which the roster reached second place at VCT Ascension EMEA.

Following this performance, Keiko was scouted as Team Liquid’s new duelist player to make his debut in Riot Games’ franchised VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT). 

While his first year in VCT EMEA yielded disappointing results for the team, Keiko established himself as a high-fragging smokes player throughout 2025. Team Liquid won VCT EMEA Stage 2 and qualified for every international VCT competition of the year.

“Big surprise! Joined NRG. Super excited to be playing with the Champions from last year. Let’s get to work,” commented Keiko on NRG’s announcement.

NRG’s newest member will be stepping into the shoes of its former smokes player, s0m.  

S0m competed for the North American esports organisation since 2020 and helped NRG win VALORANT’s biggest trophy, this year’s Champions event in Paris.

NRG’s Champions run surprised the VCT community since the team had suffered a slow start to the season. In fact, the team just qualified for the event thanks to a second-place finish in VCT Americas Stage 2.

Throughout this underdog story, s0m was frequently highlighted by his NRG teammates as a vocal and supportive member of the roster.

With Keiko’s signing, NRG has now finalised its lineup for the upcoming VCT season next year. Apart from s0m, all previous members, including double-Champions winner Ethan ‘Ethan’ Arnold, have extended their contracts with the organisation.