XSET is bringing Nathan “nvK” Valenti back to “Siege” to serve as its fifth player.
NvK returns to “Siege” after a stint in Riot Games’ “VALORANT”. He last played “Siege” professionally with Evil Geniuses.
The move finalizes XSET’s roster moves for the transfer period, and also signals that Sam Jarvis will return to the coaching duties he was initially brought on for.
“I think like keeping them focused and like getting them on like a set schedule, making sure they're on time sitting down, getting ready, and it's like those little things that make the big differences,” said nvK when asked what he brings to XSET in an interview with SiegeGG.
“At the end of the day, we get paid way too much money to play video games. Sit down in your chair, shut up, and do your job for a little bit."
NvK (second-from-right) with Evil Geniuses at the Six Major Paris in 2018.
XSET is hoping nvK’s wealth of experience can push the team to new heights. So far, XSET has struggled in NAL play. To date, the organization has only won three maps across two stages: tied for lowest in the league with beastcoast.
NvK says he brings stability, clear comms, and experience to XSET, which is still a relatively inexperienced roster. “They're all young, they all want to win, they want to grind” he said. “I came back with like a spurt of motivation out of, like, nowhere. So it’s nice to have people on the team too that have it.”
Stage 3 is going to be a crucial stage for this roster. They’ve put solid coaches in place and have shown a willingness to upgrade their roster when needed, but the clock is ticking. A poor stage could land XSET in a relegation match, a far cry from where this team wants to be.
It improved its standings from Stage 1 to Stage 2, but needs to keep that improvement train moving in order to breathe easy come end-of-the-season relegations.
Luckily for XSET, it is adding a piece of historical NA “Siege” royalty. NvK is one of only 20 players with a Six Invitational title under his belt, and was a part of the legendary Evil Geniuses core that had won Season 3 of the ESL Pro League and had challenged for other international titles. Notably, nvK played in the greatest match of “Siege” ever played: the grand final of the Six Invitational 2018.
The new-look XSET will debut during NAL Stage 3, which will return Sept. 7.