xnfri has announced the end of his playing career.
JAPAN – Tomoki “xnfri” Moriya has announced his decision to retire from competing in a statement on Twitter.
xnfri steps away from VALORANT after a four-year career representing teams such as FAV Gaming, NORTHEPTION, DetonatioN FocusMe, and most recently, VARREL. A few highlights over the course of his VALORANT career include qualifying for Masters Copenhagen with NORTHEPTION and competing in the VCT Pacific League with DetonatioN FocusMe.
Despite not sharing specific reasons for his retirement, xnfri mentions that he will be focusing on his studies moving forward and reassures fans that he is not fully stepping away from VALORANT, planning to stay connected with the community through streaming and events.
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xnfri got his big break in VALORANT in 2022 when he joined NORTHEPTION, teaming up with notable players such as Kim “Meteor” Tae-o, who would later go on to join T1 and secure the VCT Masters Shanghai title, and Cho “JoXJo” Byung-yeon, who now plays for RIDDLE.
One of the most defining moments of xnfri’s career came when NORTHEPTION made history by defeating Absolute JUPITER (now ZETA DIVISION) in the 2022 VALORANT Challengers Japan Stage 2 Playoffs. This victory secured them a spot at VALORANT Masters Copenhagen, making them the third Japanese team to compete on the international stage.
When the VCT Pacific League kicked off in 2023, xnfri joined DetonatioN FocusMe. Unfortunately, the year proved challenging for the team, as they were unable to secure a single win throughout both the league and its Last Chance Qualifier, leaving them winless for the entire season. It was a tough campaign for xnfri individually, especially in a year that saw him transition from his main Initiator role to a Controller position.
In his final season, xnfri played for VARREL in the Challengers JP circuit, reuniting with his former NTH teammate Kohei “BlackWiz” Mikami. The team finished 5th-6th in both Split 1 and 2, preventing them from qualifying for VCT Ascension Pacific 2024 and bringing their season to an early end.
“I have decided to bring my career as a VALORANT player to a close and officially retire. Competing on so many stages over the past four years since the game’s release has been an irreplaceable experience. I owe it all to my teammates, fans, and everyone who has supported me along the way. I am deeply grateful!”
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Cover photo courtesy of Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
