LPL top laner Zhang "Zoom" Xing-Ran has left Top Esports after half a year with the organization, joining rival Ultra Prime for the 2022 LPL Spring Split.
"After friendly negotiations with both Zoom and UP, we have mutually agreed on his transfer to UP," Top Esports tweeted Monday. "Thank him for his efforts and dedication. Wish everything goes well with Zoom."
Before joining Top Esports in December 2021, Zoom played for JD Gaming. He made a splash with that team in the 2020 LPL spring split, taking home the top finish in the split. The next split saw him and the team fall to Top Esports in the finals, but the team rebounded to make it to the quarterfinals of the League of Legends World Championship in 2020.
JD Gaming finished fifth-sixth in the 2021 spring split, then failed to qualify for the summer split playoffs. This prompted the roster overhaul that saw Zoom head to Top Esports. His timing couldn't have been worse â rookie top laner Huang "Wayward" Ren-Xing hit a hot streak in the season, earning the Rookie of the Split award and starting every game of the spring playoffs, leaving little play time for Zoom.
Ultra Prime, previously known as eStar, has hovered around the middle of the LPL's standings for much of its existence. The team has finished outside of the top 10 in every split since making it to playoffs in spring 2020.
The LPL has yet to announce a start date for the 2022 summer split.
