Learn more about Global Esports Academy, which consists of five players selected from over 6,000 applicants.
INDIA – We caught up with Vatsal Uniyal, Head of Esports at Global Esports, to learn more about the organization’s new VALORANT academy team, which is currently competing in the VALORANT Challengers South Asia circuit.
Given GE’s roots in India and the South Asia region, we wanted to understand how they’re approaching their home market and get insights into their newly formed roster—five players selected from over 6,000 applicants, as Vatsal later explains.
With Riot Games allowing VCT-partnered teams to field academy rosters in tier-two Challengers, several organizations, including Global Esports and eight other VCT Pacific teams, seized the opportunity.
Many academy teams prioritize player development over immediate success, focusing on nurturing talent in an environment that mixed teams often can’t provide. With that in mind, we’re also curious about Global Esports’ approach—whether their goal is purely developmental or if they have their eyes on competition—and which players might be worth keeping an eye on.
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What was the idea behind starting an academy roster for Global Esports?
“We have always wanted to incubate and grow/build talent—that has been at the core of what we’ve been building at Global Esports for almost a decade now. We have always felt that India is a highly underserved market, and our goal has been to fill that gap and help Indian athletes perform at the highest tier of the game, regardless of which titles or platforms they compete in.
It has been part of our ethos to build star talent instead of buying them. Over the years, as we gained experience, we identified more of these gaps. Our academy allows us to do exactly that—sharing all the knowledge we have in a structured way to help build the next generation of esports superstars, starting with India, our home turf.”
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Has that vision changed over time? It was first announced in December 2023, but the roster only came together in February 2025. Did anything shift along the way?
“The vision has always been the same—to build up the next generation of esports superstars. We recognized very early on that Indian athletes had a long way to go before they could compete on the highest stage of VCT.
In fact, we wanted to build an academy roster right from Season 1 of VCT, but Riot’s structure restricted a VCT-partnered team from having another roster competing locally. Without any events or tournaments to compete in, and with our academy roster being in a completely different country from our main roster, they wouldn’t have had any way to train, compete, and improve. It was only after the 2024 season, when Riot opened up the opportunity for VCT teams to have academy rosters, that we jumped at the opportunity!
For teams like DRX and Gen.G, maintaining academy rosters was much easier since their main and academy teams were both in the same city/region and could train and practice together. That wouldn’t have been the case for us, with our prospects in India and our VCT players in Seoul.
However, in this new structure, we now have a dedicated slot in Challengers, allowing us to groom and develop our players from the ground up, preparing them not just for VCT with GE but also for other teams to start scouting talent in India. We’re still a long way from getting there, but we’ve already embarked on this extremely ambitious journey.”
What kind of support does Global Esports provide for the GE Academy program?
“At GE, we provide our academy players with everything they need to grow and succeed. This includes salaries with performance-based incentives, full equipment support, and top-tier coaching from experienced professionals like aRubyz and Kappa.
Our players also have access to mentorship from our support staff, scrims against our VCT team, and inter-team practice sessions to refine their strategies. Beyond just training, we leverage our years of experience in esports and bring in additional expertise through coaches, mentors, and managers to help our academy team develop. We’re also ensuring they gain enough tournament experience and high-level practice sessions, competing against stronger opponents so they can steadily bridge the skill and experience gap between Indian talent and top international regions.
At the same time, we’re doing what we do best—creating content around the roster to showcase their journey and maximize their exposure. Our goal is simple: to provide the best possible environment for these players to improve, compete, and eventually make their mark on the bigger stage.”
KRiPZ tweeted that this was “the largest tryouts held.” Can you tell us more about that?
“Over 6,000 players applied. These tryouts generated a massive response. We didn’t just run “a quick one- or two-week trial and call it a day—we conducted multiple phases with around 150–160 players, testing not just raw mechanical skills but also adaptability, communication, mentality, and how well they handled pressure.
Every player in the final lineup earned their place, with no spots handed out for free, ensuring that only the most promising, coachable, and driven players made the cut. Having recently undergone a similar selection process for its VCT roster, we had a clear roadmap in place for scouting and developing the best talent for the academy team.”
What’s the roadmap for GE Academy? Does GE see this program as a potential pipeline for players especially from South Asia to make it to the Pacific League?
“The goal of GE Academy isn’t just to have a team competing in the local scene—it’s about creating a structured pathway for players to reach the Pacific League and beyond. We’ve built this program to identify and nurture talent with the ultimate goal of having them compete at the highest level, including potential promotions to GE’s VCT roster or other Pacific League teams.
Our players are given every opportunity to develop through Tier 2 tournaments—including one we hosted with DRX and RRQ—scrims against tier-one and academy teams from other regions, and mentorship from our VCT coaching staff.
We’re committed to ensuring this squad gains as much high-level experience as possible, both in tournaments and on the server. If a player from GE Academy earns a spot on the GE main roster or any other team in the league, that’s a win for us.”
Are there any standout players in this GE Academy roster with an interesting backstory or someone fans should keep an eye on?
“While every player on this roster has immense potential, some have particularly compelling backstories. Yuvi, a 17-year-old player, is one of our academy’s most promising talents. He initially played Fortnite casually before making the transition to VALORANT and has already ranked in the top 100 of the Pacific leaderboard purely through raw mechanical skill. This is his first professional team, and he is balancing competitive gaming while continuing his education.
Global Esports believes that every player on this roster represents the future of South Asian esports, and while Yuvi is a standout at the moment, the team’s goal is to ensure that all its players are developed into top-tier competitors.”
Global Esports Academy are currently competing in VALORANT Challengers South Asia and will participate in the main event throughout the season from Split 1 to 3. As per the rules, academy teams are exempt from relegation but cannot earn circuit points to qualify for VCT Ascension.
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Cover photo courtesy of Global Esports
