Over the course of the last few months, the gaming world saw a massive paradigm shift with the introduction of Valorant. Pro players from games like CS: GO, League of Legends and Call Of Duty have shifted to the new FPS shooter in one of the most surprising developments in the gaming world in recent times.
The pros in question are perhaps the best in the world in their respective games. However, with the metoric rise in the popularity of Valorant, things are about to change in the gaming world forever.
Top 10 former CS: GO legends who migrated to Valorant
1. Spencer "Hiko" Martin - Hiko is one of the finest players Counter Strike Global Offensive has ever seen. His luck hasn't always been with him, though.
His achievements never did justice to his talent. In March 2020, Hiko had to make up his mind to switch games. Several CS: GO pros have faced the same conundrum. Finally, Hiko decided to join 100 Thieves as a professional Valorant player.
2. Adil "ScreaM" Benrlitom - Popular for some of his outstanding one-tap kills, Adil "ScreaM" Benrlitom, is another pro who migrated from CS: GO. Currently playing with Team Liquid, he is looking to dominate Valorant as he did with previous FPS titles.
The oversaturation, lack of scope for content and the dwindling 'feeling' after winning a tournament have forced players to shift to Riot Games' new FPS shooter that offers a much more immersive experience. This is one of the primary reasons many players have decided to move.
3. Mixwell - G2 announced that Oscar "Mixwell" Canellas Colocho will be joining their Valorant roster.
It came as a huge surprise as the Spanish sensation decided to move on from CS:GO.
After dominating the NA scene for quite a while, Mixwell made the move to pursue his dream. A speculative video by Esports Talk mentioned the roster possibilities G2 could have explored. However, with Mixwell at the helm, their current lineup looks flawless.
4. Nick "Nitr0" Cannella - Nick Cannella decided to make the move after stepping down from Team Liquid. For arguably one of the legendary players who consistently maintained his spot, his move to Valorant did come as a shock for the community, but it was inevitable.
Esports Talk made a comprehensive video scrutinising the details that forced this move. Soon after Nitr0 decided to join 100 Thieves, 'America's Captain has had a new look,' The news was celebrated with the refashioning of a Captain America shield.
Read more - Latest changes after Patch 1.08 for Raze mains in Valorant.
5. Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham - After joining T1, Tyler Latham recently decided to take a break from competitive Valorant. Popular for his skills with a sniper, the CS:GO legend, has a bright future in the game. In a Twitter update, he mentioned that he would take time to grind.
He also mentioned the possibility of playing with other teams. Since then, Skadoodle has been streaming Rogue Company quite often. However, in light of recent performances, it is safe to say that Skadoodle will return to competitive Valorant once he is ready.
6. Joshua "Steel" Nissan - 100 Thieves bagged a massive deal by signing Steel. This completed the three-headed spear they were aiming to build with their roster. With Hiko, Nitr0 and Steel, their roster looks impeccable.
Read more - How to main Brimstone in Valorant.
7. Braxton 'Brax' Pierce - He was one of the first players to shift to Valorant. He joined T1 when the game was in its early stages. It is brilliant to see that former banned CS:GO pros are finding new ways to continue their careers.
This is one of the best achievements of Valorant: providing a platform and equal opportunities to everyone.
8. Keven "AZK" Lariviere - AZK is another CS:GO-banned prodigy who found a new lease of life in Valorant. AZK and Brax were part of the same match-fixing controversy that got them banned.
However, an opportunity presented itself that made them switch games. It was not a tough choice to make simply because unlike CS:GO, Valorant is not likely to have a saturated competitive scene any time soon.
9. Tyson "TenZ" Ngo - Tenz decided to shift to Valorant quite early on. The ability-driven action dynamics of the game influenced his choice. In one of his interviews, he mentioned how seriously he wanted to excel in Valorant professionally.
10. Ryan "Freakazoid" Abadir - A part of Cloud9's CS: GO dream team, Ryan Abadir, decided to make the switch to Valorant after months of contemplation. He kept mentioning the multitude of reasons players wanted to quit the competitive scene. Freakazoid is perhaps one of the legends of the game who has finally decided to shift full time to Valorant.
With this recent development, experts are predicting that more players could jump ship sooner rather than later. Valorant has established its dominance in the eSports world with this master stroke. When big names decide to migrate from their main games, it means that they have set their plans according to the shifting tide of the future.
There are several reasons why players choose to make such moves. Primarily, it is because Valorant offers equal opportunities from both the content and competitive perspectives. Unlike CS: GO, which is only surviving purely due to the competitive league, Valorant is making its mark in the streaming business as well.