Popular Australian VALORANT player Kale “autumn” Dunne has reportedly reached a verbal agreement to join the Chinese team FunPlus Phoenix (FPX) in the upcoming 2024 VALORANT Champions Tour season. This marks the second Australian player to enter the franchised league, joining a roster aiming to compete with top Chinese teams like EDward Gaming and Bilibili Gaming. The move comes shortly after reports of Korean organization T1 considering signing Australian IGL Nick “tixx” Quinn.
Autumn gained recognition for his time with the Australian superteam ORDER, which dominated the Oceania circuit in 2021. As a Jett main, he played a crucial role in maintaining their regional dominance. After the team disbanded following their 2022 championship, Autumn joined Honey Badgers before eventually moving to Gods Reign in South Asia for the Challengers circuit.
According to sources, Autumn’s move to FPX signifies a shift to the Chinese scene and an opportunity to compete in the franchised league. This decision aligns with FPX’s history as an organization that previously fielded a mixed roster in the EMEA region and even won Stage Two Masters in 2022. However, FPX struggled to keep up with their regional rivals, particularly EDward Gaming, failing to make significant progress in recent tournaments.
The reported acquisition of Autumn suggests that FPX is looking to improve their performance and elevate their standing in the Chinese VALORANT scene. While an official announcement is yet to confirm the roster move, Autumn’s potential impact on FPX could be substantial. Notably, imports have previously made significant contributions to Asian teams, as seen with Ilya “something” Petrov and Paper Rex.
It is important to note that Autumn’s success with ORDER does not guarantee immediate success with FPX. However, his strong performance and experience in the Oceania and South Asian circuits indicate his potential to make a positive impact on the team. FPX will need to make significant improvements if they aspire to reach the level of dominance demonstrated by EDward Gaming.
Fans of VALORANT will eagerly await an official announcement to confirm Autumn’s reported move to FPX. If the transfer materializes, it could mark the beginning of significant changes within the FPX roster. Autumn’s performance will be closely watched as he strives to prove his worth, just as he did during his time with ORDER.
About the author
Source: DOTESPORTS
