Two-time CS:GO world champions Dignitas Female are adding to their esports plate and will also compete in VALORANT.
The team, composed of captain Emmalee "EMUHLEET" Garrido, Amanda "rain" Smith, Kiara "milk" Makua, Melisa "Theia" Mundorff and Julie "Bouchard" Bouchard (added recently on a trial basis), will become the first major all-female team to compete in the Riot Games FPS title.
"As both a competitive team and female pioneers in the esports space, we're constantly on the lookout for new opportunities to better connect with our fanbase while also feeding our competitive edge," EMUHLEET said in a news release. "When presented with the opportunity to expand to VALORANT, we quickly recognized the game as a sweet spot between a high skill esports title and a game that appealed to a broader gaming audience. DIG Fe and I look forward to the challenge of taking on an additional competitive title and hope to raise a trophy or two in VALORANT."
ESPN Daily Newsletter: Sign up now!
DIG Fe will make their VALORANT debut this weekend in two events: the ANEW VALORANT Women's 1k Open on Saturday, followed by the Elite Esports Rivalry Bowl Invitational on Sunday, featuring top VALORANT teams across North America. The winning squad earns $5,000.
The team will also continue to compete in CS:GO, making them the first major professional female team that is active across multiple titles.
The addition of VALORANT means a presence across six esports for Dignitas, whose portfolio also includes LCS (after acquiring Clutch Gaming in 2019), Rocket League (the team is the reigning RLCS European champions), Super Smash Bros, Clash Royale and women's/men's teams in CS:GO.
"Since their recruitment in 2017, DIG Fe has raised four international trophies under the DIG banner," Dignitas CEO Michael Prindiville said in the news release. "Their expansion into VALOANT is the first step in a larger women's empowerment initiative the organization has planned for the coming months. Our goal is to become esports most empowering and educational organization for professional and aspiring female gamers, content creators and fans."
Dignitas is the competitive team vertical within New Meta Entertainment, which is backed by an investor group that includes Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (which owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils), Fertitta Entertainment, Susquehanna International Group and Delaware North.