By Logan Jacobs
Valorant intro
Released in June of 2020, Valorant is a PC-based, first-person tactical shooter featuring two teams each picking five characters with unique abilities falling under the umbrella agent classes: duelist, controller, sentinel, and initiator.
Gameplay features five-person teams who select any combination of agents based on tactics favored in a predetermined map where teams face off in an attacking and defending scenario.
Updates feature new agents with specialized talents like Astra, Gecko, and Kay/o as well as new maps like Breeze, Pearl, and Lotus.
Valorant’s competitive scene started early in the game’s beta with many streamers, YouTubers, and organizations (orgs) holding tournaments and show matches or one-offs. Eventually the scene evolved into global competitions supported by Riot Games, the creators of Valorant, culminating in million-dollar prizes.
VCT LOCK//IN intro
VCT LOCK//IN is the first, global tournament of the annual year and the first major or officially sanctioned event by Riot Games in addition to Masters and Champions later in the year. Unlike past majors, LOCK//IN would be a single elimination event with no loser’s bracket.
Coming in NA teams were expected to dominate with “super teams” like cloud9, sentinels, and NRG. Along with NA, Brazil’s LOUD would be fighting on home turf after winning it all in last year’s VCT Championship.
Asia Pacific or APAC had a surprising showing during last year’s championships with DRX making it to third place before losing to Optic. Global Esports would also debut as the first team from India to make it to the global stage.
Europe, Middle East, and Africa or EMEA had a poor performance last year compared to years prior but coming in they looked strong with teams like Na’Vi and the always strong Fnatic.
Teams to look out for in the league split
EMEA
Natus Vincere or Na’Vi is definitely a team to look out for, after picking up FPX’s old roster and ascends’ super star cNed they had a dominant showing during the LOCK//IN making it to the semifinals.
The former FPX star Ardiis, now replaced by cNed a former VCT champion completes what felt like a team that always came up short.
Na’Vi isn’t the only team to look out for in the EMEA league, Fnatic was amazing during the tournament not dropping a game until grand finals. Fnatic’s last map vs LOUD was an amazing performance with them taking 9 rounds in a row and winning in over time.
AMERICAS
Na had the most disappointing performances during LOCK//IN, with Cloud9, Sentinels, 100 Thieves, and Evil Genius’ all being destroyed by DRX, Fnatic, and Talon respectively.
Besides this disappointing performance NRG had a good run and gave LOUD a run for their money. With the new team focusing around Ardiis and former Optic stars FNS, Crashies, and Victor.
As always LOUD had an amazing performance even after losing pANcada and Sacy during the off-season, LOUD played amazingly well and is a shoo-in for Masters later this year.
APAC
Talon had a surprisingly good run during LOCK//IN beating teams like EG and coming close to beating DRX.
Team Secret performed one of the biggest upsets in the tournament beating Team Liquid one of the favorites from EMEA.
You can’t talk about APAC without mentioning DRX, ever since 2022 DRX has been running APAC. No one has ever been as dominant in their respective region except for maybe 2020-early 2021 Sentinels.
DRX came very close to being in the grand final’s versus Fnatic only losing to LOUD in a nail biter of a last game.
RIVALRIES
Fnatic, despite being one of the top teams of EMEA has always been in the shadow of FPX and Sentinels. They lost to Sentinels during their undefeated run in Reykjavik, and all throughout 2022 placed lower than FPX but LOCK//IN was different. Beating Sentinels first round with a clean 2-0 sweep and beating Na’Vi, who picked up the former FPX roster, with another clean sweep, 3-0.
LOUD and NRG, a rivalry so deep it shattered previous records for most concurrent viewers. These two teams may not have played much but the players on LOUD and NRG have a ton of history, the reason? Crashies, Victor, and FNS. These three players beat LOUD during last year’s masters Reykjavik during grand finals back when they were on Optic but LOUD also beat them during grand finals of Champions 2022. During the quarter finals game LOUD set the record straight and beat NRG 2-1.
Short Review For Major Teams
100 Thieves didn’t perform very well, they had two extremely close games and lost in a blow out to Fnatic but I have hope for them during the league split.
EDG showed some of the most unique and fun gameplay, it was a treat watching them compete even though they didn’t make it past round one.
Na’Vi had an amazing performance during VCT LOCK//IN establishing dominance in both Valorant’s competitive scene and CSGO’s.
Fnatic won LOCK//IN for a reason, they’ve worked hard to get this point and are still looking strong.
NRG had a great run and almost beat LOUD losing during overtime in close game that could’ve gone either way.
Talon didn’t make it to the semi finals but still played great, losing to DRX. They will be a team to look out for during the league split.
There isn’t much to say about LOUD, they as always played amazingly well and just barely lost during grand finals
DRX is by far the best APAC team, they are unmatched giants in their region but on the global stage? It feels like they can’t hold their own.
Fnatic‘s Rise to The Greatest
The crowd roars as the two teams enter the packed Brazilian, Sao Paulo stadium. After huddling they sit down at their setups. The massive lights illuminating the arena drown out the gaming monitors’ glow. 10,000 people pack the seats to watch this match. After five, long hours of gameplay the last game of grand finals starts.
Down 11-3, Fnatic have everything stacked against them, the Brazilian crowd roars for every round the European Fnatics lose.
Then Fnatic calls their last time out. The crowd hushes. It’s a brief rest for everyone in the match’s controlled chaos.
Refocused, Fnatic follows through with their coach’s advice and win just one: the first of many they need to have a chance of winning.
Now it’s 11-8, five rounds stolen from under LOUD’s nose. Fnatic builds hope. LOUD worries. The tension is visible as both teams shift in their seats.
11-11, Fnatic needs to win one more round to confirm overtime but it isn’t looking good, it’s a 2v1 and Aspas LOUD’s best is still alive. Alfajer, the 17year-old prodigy from Turkey doesn’t falter, he gets two and takes the lead for the first time the entire game. Screaming out in joy Fnatic players almost jump out of their seats.
Fnatic loses the next round, but it doesn’t matter as overtime has been secured, now only two rounds stood between Fnatic and their first global win. Fnatic isn’t sad or angry about losing the round but instead reaffirming, all that was needed of them was two rounds and Fnatic knew that.
The first round of overtime went Fnatic’s way, everyone in the stadium grew quiet at the thought of Fnatic winning. All you could hear in the stadium was the casters commentating and the players on stage.
Fnatic gets one, now it’s a 4v5, then a 3v5. LOUD starts dropping like flies until only ASPAS is left, the best player on LOUD left in an impossible 1v5. Knowing that ASPAS has clutched situations worse than this, Fnatic doesn’t let up and because of it they win.
Finally, Fnatic triumphed over the mountain that was LOUD, winning the last round flawlessly. Excitement permeates through the entirety of Fnatic, as they went up to accept their trophy, the ever so loud crowd was now silent. Grand finals ended 3-2 in favor of Fnatic, crowning Chronicle as the first person to have ever won two global events and finally giving Fnatic their first and a well-deserved global title.
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