Dep departs ZETA DIVISION
Dep steps away from VCT Pacific, begins a new chapter back in tier-two Japan.
JAPAN – ZETA DIVISION have confirmed the departure of Yuma “Dep” Hashimoto, with the veteran opting to return to Japan and continue his career closer to home. The move brings an end to Dep’s four-year stint with ZETA, as he heads back to REJECT, the organization he represented prior to joining ZETA.
“Thank you so much for supporting ZETA Dep for such a long time. I think I was able to keep going for about four years thanks to everyone who cheered me on,” Dep shared in a Japanese-language statement.
“A big reason I decided to give up on competing in Tier 1 is that, personally, I’ve felt my motivation and my skills decline to the point where I can no longer keep pushing myself to keep challenging VCT Pacific. And also, I’ve started to feel a desire to take on new challenges, like playing on an English-speaking roster and using what I’ve learned so far to help develop younger talent. I’d really appreciate it if you continue to support me in my new chapter as well.”
Dep’s departure closes a huge chapter in his career, and in ZETA DIVISION’s story. He was one of the core faces of ZETA’s breakthrough run at Masters Reykjavík 2022, where they exceeded every expectation and finished third in what remains one of Japan’s most iconic international performances in VALORANT.
Over the years, Dep went on to compete at four international events under the ZETA banner. Among the highlights of that period was ZETA’s first-place finish at VCT Pacific Last Chance Qualifier, which secured the team a spot at VALORANT Champions Los Angeles 2023.
That LCQ run also delivered one of Dep’s most memorable individual moments. Dep posted 42 kills in a single map on LAN, setting the record at the time for the most kills on one map on LAN.
While Dep’s tenure with ZETA includes highs, the past two seasons have been far more difficult for the Japanese giants. ZETA gradually slid from being a steady mid-table presence into a near-bottom position, struggling to maintain consistency as the region continued to level up. At the same time, ZETA’s long-held grip as Japan’s frontrunner has weakened, with DetonatioN FocusMe increasingly emerging as the nation’s most reliable top-end representative in recent times.
Dep will now return to REJECT, his previous organization before joining ZETA, but it will be under very different circumstances from his earlier run in 2020 and 2021. The move does come with at least one familiar connection.
Dep is set to reunite with Hiroki “hiroronn” Yanai, a former teammate he played alongside throughout the full 2024 season. The roster also features a Filipino duo in former Team Secret player Jeremy “Jremy” Cabrera and former SCARZ player John “Yoshiii” Kawakami.
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