After nearly three years with British group Fnatic, Valorant star Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov has determined to maneuver on from the workforce and be part of Vitality.
Chronicle will hyperlink again up with former Fnatic teammate Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev on his new workforce, and can now be checked out as a focus of their roster because the French group makes an attempt to develop into a powerhouse in Valorant like they’ve in different esports.
That stated, Vitality are removed from a powerhouse at the moment, having certified for just one VCT Masters occasion in 2025. Chronicle could also be a blockbuster signing that might see them constantly attain these occasions, however provided that he’s leaving Fnatic, a workforce constantly putting on the very prime, it’s exhausting to have a look at this transfer as something however a mistake for Chronicle.
Chronicle’s Large Mistake
In Chronicle’s three years on Fnatic, they’ve arguably been probably the most constantly aggressive workforce on the earth. They could not have at all times been the most effective workforce — they solely gained VCT 2023: LOCK//IN Sao Paulo and VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 in that point — however 2025 noticed them end as runners up on three events.
At any given cut-off date, it’s truthful to say they’re closest to successful the following Valorant Champions occasion as a consequence of that consistency.
Fnatic’s hopes of lastly successful a Champions occasion after coming agonisingly shut in 2025 additionally acquired an enormous increase previously month, their captain Jake “Boaster” Howlett signed a brand new contract after rumours of potential retirement.
With Fnatic’s system secured and the firepower they maintain, was it subsequently not a wiser resolution to stay by the workforce, quite than to strive his luck with a workforce that may barely even qualify for the LANs?
Champions, which Fnatic misplaced 3–2 after coming near a reverse sweep towards NRG, isn’t even the primary time that Chronicle has come inside touching distance of Valorant’s largest prize. He misplaced one other Grand Remaining, 3-2, to Ascend whereas nonetheless a member of Gambit.
With that in thoughts, and contemplating that Chronicle is heralded as one of many best gamers within the sport’s historical past, this additionally turns into a query of legacy. Valorant’s historical past should be quick, however we’re quick approaching the purpose the place all that issues will probably be when you managed to elevate the massive one or not, and it’s simple that becoming a member of Vitality is a step backwards in that respect.
In fact, Chronicle might be step one in a rebuild as Vitality seems to be to construct a superteam. They do now have a strong basis in him and Derke, however provided that Chronicle’s transfer was closely rumoured and there are at the moment no different rumours about Vitality, this feels unlikely.
That is all to say that Chronicle is taking an enormous danger with this transfer. Fnatic’s lineup was on the cusp of greatness, simply maps and rounds away from having a stage of dominance that has by no means been seen earlier than on a world scale. Success isn’t dominated out on his new workforce, but it surely’s a lot additional away, and that might be one thing that quickly turns into painfully clear.
