Almost two years after picking up the roster of Xavier Esports in Apr. 2021, Elevate has decided to release its Thai roster.
Over the last two years, Elevate established themselves as the one of the best-performing teams from APAC.
In 2021, Elevate were crowned champions of APAC South. A few months later, Elevate's international debut ended with a top 12 finish at the Six Invitational 2022.
With the start of Year 7, Elevate's results in APAC South qualified them for the Charlotte Major and the Berlin Major. While they were not allowed to travel to Charlotte due to visa complications, they reached the quarter-finals in Berlin.
After missing out on the Jönköping Major, Elevate's most recent international appearence came at the Six Invitational 2023, where they finished at the bottom of the standings of Group B.
Evidently, Paramin "sprOnigiri" Suwanwattana's departure from the team following the conclusion of their Six Invitational 2023 run was pivotal in the organization's decision. While the former Elevate captain was a restricted free agent before, he will now be free of his contract with the entire team having been released.
"With Onigiri leaving the roster, finding a consistent 5th that speaks Thai proved to be difficult, and having an english-speaking team provides us with more flexibility," said an official statement.
Despite the team's most recent news, Elevate is not leaving Rainbow Six Siege or the APAC region.
"We want to reassure our community that we are not leaving Rainbow Six or APAC. We remain committed to representing this region at the biggest stage, and we will continue to work tirelessly to bring home another hammer," the statement continued.
Considering this information, it is possible we see Elevate return to Australia. A move to the Oceania League 2023 could be a good option, with the former Knights core competing as the organization-less team named Homeless.
Alternatively, Elevate could also sign the former Gaimin Gladiators team that is now known as Roosters.