Five Years With EDward Gaming and a World Title: Smoggy Joins Bilibili Gaming as d4v41 and babybay Land in VCT China 2027
The Valorant offseason transfer market just shattered the longest-standing core in Chinese esports. A foundational pillar of EDward Gaming (EDG) since July 2021 and a key architect of their historic world championship triumph at Valorant Champions 2024 in Seoul, Zhang "Smoggy" Zhao has reached an agreement to join domestic rival Bilibili Gaming (BLG) for the 2027 VCT China season. That blockbuster move is only the first major move: restructured around eight permanent partner organizations, the Chinese league has simultaneously lured two major international veterans across the globe as former Paper Rex star Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee joins Xi Lai Gaming and former G2 Esports standout Andrej "babybay" Francisty signs with Weibo Gaming.
Smoggy Leaves EDward Gaming After Five Years: The End of a Dynasty to Supercharge Bilibili Gaming
For fans of Asian tactical shooters, seeing Smoggy in another jersey closes a historic chapter. For more than five years, Zhang "Smoggy" Zhao anchored EDward Gaming alongside Zheng "ZmjjKK" Yongkang, Wan "CHICHOO" Shunzhi, and Wang "nobody" Senxu. Renowned for his surgical flexibility across Controller agents like Omen, Clove, and Viper as well as Initiator and Duelist roles, the 24-year-old Chinese star helped carry EDG to the pinnacle of competitive Valorant in August 2024 by defeating Team Heretics 3-2 in the Champions Seoul Grand Final.
By crossing the aisle to join Bilibili Gaming for the 2027 campaign, Smoggy closes the chapter on an unmatched domestic dynasty and hands BLG elite late-round composure and firepower. Coming just days after Dragon Ranger Gaming and Nova Esports swept the Threshold finals to reclaim their VCT China 2027 league slots, Bilibili Gaming is sending a clear message to dethrone its longtime rival when the Kickoff tournament begins.
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d4v41 to Xi Lai Gaming and babybay to Weibo Gaming: International Veterans Flock to VCT China
Riot Games' revamped partnership framework for the 2027-2028 cycle, which trims the official Valorant Champions Tour ecosystem down to eight permanent partner teams per region alongside open-circuit qualifiers, has dramatically reshaped club budgets and cross-regional recruitment. Newly cemented inside China's top flight, several partnered organizations have moved aggressively to import battle-tested international talent.
The biggest cross-regional splash belongs to Xi Lai Gaming (XLG). After winning Ascension China in 2024 and securing a full partner slot for the 2027-2028 cycle, the Chinese organization has locked in Malaysian veteran Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee. Having officially parted ways with Paper Rex on October 31, 2026 after nearly six years of service highlighted by multiple VCT Pacific trophies and the Masters Toronto 2025 championship crown, the 27-year-old flex powerhouse brings world-class championship pedigree to a rising Chinese contender.
At the same time, Weibo Gaming (WBG), entering the league as one of VCT China's newly selected partner organizations for 2027, has pulled off a surprise transpacific signing by recruiting American veteran Andrej "babybay" Francisty. Following an impressive stint with G2 Esports that included a run to Valorant Champions, the 31-year-old former FaZe Clan standout heads to Shanghai just as North American rosters undergo their own shakeups, with G2 Esports closing in on HYUNMIN to reshape their starting five for VCT Americas 2027.
VCT Pacific 2027: akame Reunites With Meiy and Coach Vorz at Crazy Raccoon
The Asian offseason domino effect is also reshaping Seoul ahead of VCT Pacific 2027. Iconic Japanese organization Crazy Raccoon (CR), officially selected by Riot Games to return as a partnered VCT Pacific team for the 2027-2028 cycle, is rounding out its starting lineup by signing South Korean player Yu "akame" Gwang-hui.
Departing DetonatioN FocusMe (DFM), akame will reunite under the Crazy Raccoon banner with head coach Vorz and Japanese superstar Duelist Ibuki "Meiy" Seki. By keeping that proven core intact, Crazy Raccoon secures immediate tactical synergy for its long-awaited return to tier-one international competition.
Summary of Key VCT China and VCT Pacific 2027 Offseason Transfers
- Zhang "Smoggy" Zhao: Departs EDward Gaming (EDG) after more than five years and a Champions 2024 world title to join Bilibili Gaming (BLG) in VCT China.
- Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee: Leaves Paper Rex after nearly six years and a Masters Toronto 2025 title to sign with Xi Lai Gaming (XLG) in VCT China.
- Andrej "babybay" Francisty: Departs G2 Esports (VCT Americas) to make a cross-regional move to Weibo Gaming (WBG) in VCT China.
- Yu "akame" Gwang-hui: Leaves DetonatioN FocusMe (DFM) to join Crazy Raccoon (CR) in VCT Pacific alongside Meiy and head coach Vorz.
My Take
Watching Smoggy take off the EDward Gaming jersey after more than five years alongside ZmjjKK, CHICHOO, and nobody feels like the end of an institution. He was the ultimate glue player, capable of locking down an entire site on Omen or Viper without ever demanding the spotlight, and his move to Bilibili Gaming finally breaks EDG's stranglehold at the top of the Chinese league. What strikes me even more in this wave of signings, however, is how fast VCT China is evolving into a global destination: landing a Paper Rex pillar like d4v41 at Xi Lai Gaming and a North American veteran like babybay at Weibo Gaming in the exact same week proves that trimming the league to eight partner clubs has concentrated serious financial firepower in Shanghai.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles "Grimtag" is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
