As a professional player, I choose Valorant over CS: GO — Simar 'psy' Sethi, Noble Esports

Valorant is Riot Games' latest addition to the fast-paced first-person shooter genre and has been growing in popularity ever since its release earlier in 2020. The game has given rise to many esports tournaments in India and overseas for professional players.

The developers recently announced that Indian Valorant servers would come into play, ensuring lesser ping for Indian pros. As a result, the competitive scene in the country is witnessing a massive transition of players from other titles to this offering.

Simar Psy Sethi is a prominent name in Indian gaming, and has set a benchmark for aspiring gamers. The 22-year-old has won several ESL India Premierships, was awarded the Best Player of India in 2016 and has numerous MVP awards. He is known for his aggressive AWP-ing, and is an icon for the youth.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda's Rijit Banerjee, he talked about his positive mindset, thought process during matches and story of becoming one of the best CS: GO and Valorant esports players in India.

Q. How did your gaming career begin? Who was your inspiration behind taking up gaming and esports as a profession?

Psy: I started playing video games back in 2013 in Mumbai, when my friends gifted me Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on Steam. My first rank was Gold Nova III. After that, I moved to Delhi, my hometown, but I didn’t have a PC as it was back in Mumbai. So, I started visiting cafes and in the process made new friends there, and we started playing competitive matches in CS: GO.

At that time, I used to watch professional players like rite2ace (Tejas Sawant) going abroad and representing the country. It made me wonder if spending too much time and dedication into this game was worth it.

Then, one day, I was with a few of my friends, and one of them said, “Isko mat khilao, yeh harwa dega!” (Don’t play him, he’ll cost you the match!) and this provoked my ego. I retorted: “Okay! We’ll see after a year, where I stand, and you stand.”

After that, I started grinding for 12 hours a day and joined my first professional esports team in 2014.

Q. What hurdles did you face when you started gaming? As you know, Indian parents aren’t big fans of their children saying they want to pursue gaming as a career option.

Psy: My parents were very supportive, although there were times when it all went a little overboard. I explained to them that I understand that my studies were getting compromised because of my endeavour, but I told them to have faith in me, and that I would surely do something big someday.

They relented and gave me one year to prove my worth, and I became a professional esports player at the age of 16, within that time. Then, I started learning, travelling, and represented the country four times, so I am happy now, and my parents are satisfied too.

One of the main hurdles that I faced was the repetitive strain injury (RSI) that happened to me when I was in prime form, forcing me to take a break for three months. It still gives me pain today; however, it has decreased significantly compared to my early days.

Q. Many international CS: GO pros like Hiko, Scream, and yourself are shifting to Valorant. Do you think many other pros will move to Valorant shortly?

Psy: Most tier 2 and 3 esports teams have already shifted to Valorant, as it’s a new game. It is similar to CS: GO, but with a unique element. And it’s an FPS-MOBA mixed game, so everyone likes it!

I feel that for pros who didn’t make a mark in the esports industry, domestically and internationally, it’s a new opportunity. Players can make up their mind that even if they didn’t make a big career out of a game, maybe Valorant could be the next big thing for them to finally shine on a big stage. So yes, I believe that in the future, many professional players will make the shift to Valorant.

Q. CS: GO was dominating the first-person shooter scene for a long time, and now, Valorant has emerged as a worthy opponent. Do you think that regular communication from the developers is helping players gain trust in this title?

Psy: Yes. One of the big problems is that Valve doesn't listen to the community as much as Riot Games does. Previously, whenever big CS: GO tournaments used to take place in the Indian, or SEA (Southeast Asian), servers, then the total viewership was lesser compared to Valorant.

In India, someone playing Valorant has an audience of approximately 500-1000, but when you look at CS: GO, it decreases to 200-300 people. There is also the perspective of the audience, who usually think that big CS: GO tournaments come from the SEA region, not India.

As a result, Indian players had faced a considerable disadvantage when the overall ping came into consideration. When our team used to play scrims against foreign sides, we played at 70 ping, and that's the second-lowest ping for the region. On the flip side, the opponents used to play the same matches at five ping.

Even when Indians esports teams qualified to play internationally, with just one-two chances, people believed that we would go to these tournaments and trounce others. However, it is not that easy. Playing online, with high ping, is a considerable obstacle that a player has to overcome.

Rijit: True, it puts them at a natural disadvantage.

Psy: Yes. But in the case of Valorant, the developers have given the South Asian region priority, which includes countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal, and they recently announced that Indian servers were going to arrive. This is a massive moment for our country and its neighbours, as they can now compete fairly with their opponents. Thus, Valorant is already setting the stage for our young talents to showcase their potential globally, when compared to CS: GO.

Q. Valorant is steadily rising in popularity. The CS: GO scene, on the other hand, is declining rapidly in terms of players and active esports tournaments. Which one would you choose between Valorant and CS: GO, as a pro and an esports enthusiast (viewer)?

Psy: As a pro, I would choose Valorant anytime because if you call yourself a professional player, then you should be able to adapt in-game and out-game. If your opponents are trying something new in-game, then you should be able to adjust accordingly and still win the match.

In case of out-game, the life of a pro is very unpredictable. If he's playing good today, then he'll earn well, and if he doesn't, then nobody will pick him (worst-case scenario).

Therefore, if in out-games, pro CS: GO players are making the shift to Valorant, then you will have to take up the challenge and adapt without hesitation. As a viewer, I would also choose Valorant as I pursue that game professionally now.

Rijit: Continuing about the viewers point of view, some fans who had a similar switch from CS: GO to Valorant are criticizing the game's unique art-style. What's your take on that?

Psy: Yes. I see the point. Valorant has a new art style which people might dislike compared to the existing CS: GO graphics. The gunplay feels a bit better in CS: GO. However, Valorant is getting more viewer-friendly by the day, as CS: GO viewers are exhausted from watching the same things repeatedly. Valve is not changing anything in the game. It is not bringing any new maps or anything fresh for that matter. The game has completely stagnated.

If we look at Valorant, it is very colourful and looks pretty good. Which makes us question CS: GO's developers, who have not made any major changes. It also makes viewers wonder about shifting to games like Valorant, as even if they don't like it, they can come back to CS: GO anytime.

Q. Let’s talk about your Valorant career now. You play for the Noble Esports roster and have made quite an explosive entry to the game. How do you feel about the current Valorant roster?

Psy: To be honest, I am delighted with our current roster. We signed our contracts on 7th September. I was signed as a team captain and picked four players who are skilled at what they do and made the final team. Moreover, we just practised for two days, and we played tournaments for almost 28 days at a stretch.

We won one tournament, came second in front of VLT, and then third in another. So, I know the results we were expecting are not going to come now, and we have to practice and grind more as a team.

Overall, I am happy with the squad as the potential is very high, but we have to utilise that correctly and effectively.

Q. How is the synergy between your present teammates, and who is the IGL (In-game Leader) in your Valorant roster?

Psy: I am the team captain of Noble Esports and take all the major decisions, such as which tournaments to play, which to skip, what’s right for the team, etc. Recently, I took a major decision to skip all events from 29th October to 10th November, so that we can focus solely on practice, as we have already missed a lot of that. We have played tournaments for just 28 days, where we learned a lot, but I believe that practice is ten times more important than playing tournaments, as it will allow us to reach our true potential and perform better at upcoming events.

I have made Tejas Rex Kotian our IGL, as he has the most knowledge about the game. I just started playing the game one and a half months back, but he has been playing for six months now. Even though I have been IGL in most matches and have developed the game sense required in Valorant, until I am fully confident about calling the shots in Valorant, Rex is in charge.

Q. You seem to have perfected Killjoy (Valorant Agent), and were seen playing Jett and Brimstone as well in competitive matches. Who do you think is the most potent Agent in Valorant?

Psy: I feel like Jett is the strongest Agent in the current Valorant meta. I have also started playing her in competitive matches, and she feels like a comfortable pick as you can use her ‘Dash’ ability to easily escape enemies, unlike other Agents in Valorant.

Previously, the meta favoured Jett players, as at the start of the round, she would get an Operator kill, escape and the match would start as 4v5. However, the developers added a few measures like three-breach flashes, but I think it’s still not enough for her. If you are an excellent Jett player, and you know your angles and timing, then you can start the round 4v5 every time.

In one incident with Jett, I updrafted and killed two enemies while getting hit for 60 damage, and when the enemies spotted me from another angle, I dashed to safety. She is way too overpowered.

Q. Continuing from the previous question, who do you think is the weakest Agent in the game in terms of utility and mechanics? What do you think about Operator nerfs?

Psy: The weakest Agent in Valorant, I would say, is Reyna.

Rijit: Wait! Reyna? I was expecting a Viper answer.

Psy: I know people say it’s Viper, but if you know how to play her, then she has the potential to change the whole game. In India, people are still learning Viper; however, in foreign countries, gamers have already learned her and started the Viper meta in their matches. But yes, to utilise Viper completely, the teammates have to play around her abilities. She is not the weakest Agent in Valorant.

Coming to Reyna, she has access to two flashes (Leer) which can be broken easily. Her abilities are focused around herself rather than helping the team with some utilities.

Thus, if you are really feeling yourself, you can do well with her. However, if you are not hitting your shots, you will become a liability to your team.

If you are in a good team with proper communication, you can easily counter a Reyna.

Rijit: If we look at Solo queue matches, where communication is not always proper and spontaneous…

Psy: Talking about Solo queue matches, Reyna becomes excellent and is probably the best Agent to choose. If you are a confident player who has faith in his/her aiming capabilities, then pick Reyna, and you will dominate the match as you get one kill and can frag out matches.

But yes, again, against a good team, if she tries to Leer her way into a site, then one player can quickly break her flash, and another could directly shoot her before she gets her first kill.

Talking about the Operator nerfs, I am known to be an AWPER (a gamer who specialises in playing with Snipers) throughout India. But I don’t like the overall feel of Operators in Valorant. People know me for my flicks in CS: GO; however, flicking in Valorant is next to impossible. I feel like the weapon is broken, as many times, in my stream, I have noticed hitting the guy with my Operator shot, but he didn’t seem to be dead. The weapon feels broken, and I think Riot should look into this issue.

Q. Do you think Valorant’s meta is stable now, and that all the Agents feel balanced? If not, what changes in terms of buffs and nerfs would you make to Valorant?

Psy: I would say that the game feels pretty balanced, and slowly but steadily, the developers are making Valorant even more balanced based on feedback. Of course, it’s a new game; they are listening to the community to bring in quick new fixes. So I am pleased in that regard.

However, in terms of buffs and nerfs, I would say they went a bit extreme on the recent Sage nerfs. I was a Sage main myself, and I think she needs buffs; Viper needs to be buffed as well, as it will encourage players to try her out more often. Jett also needs to be nerfed a bit. But yes, they are going to add a healer-based Agent in the future, and I think it will stir up the meta even more.

Q. Because of the pandemic, most gaming tournaments are happening online. Do you think big, offline Valorant events are on the cards in India?

Psy: Yes. India is surely going to witness LAN events in the future.

Rijit: Even with the Indian Valorant servers coming in solving the ping complaints of players?

Psy: Yes. In India, people cannot stay without LAN events. Any professional scene cannot survive without it. So when the whole situation gets better, things will be back to normal, and we should see LAN events for Valorant in the country.

Q. PC gaming in India has pretty much been non-existent in terms of esports tournaments, as the primary focus is on mobile players. Now, with the recent ban on PUBG Mobile, do you think gamers will approach PC gaming more, and that the community will start growing with free-to-play titles like Valorant, thus making their mark in the gaming industry?

Psy: I think a lot of people will give a variety of responses to this particular question. I have a very realistic outlook on this. Indeed, many young gamers in the country do not have a PC. Not everyone can afford it. If you go to your father and ask him to buy you a PC, he’s going to ask you how much it costs? You will say 1 lakh minimum for a decent budget gaming PC. He’ll say no, depending on the financial situation.

On the flip side, if you go to your father and ask for a mobile phone, for say 15k, he is going to say yes! Because in that amount, you can play your mobile games, and they can communicate and stay in touch with you, which goes a long way.

Not to mention, mobile games are free-to-play, and Valorant is also free-to-play, but in terms of accessibility, mobile phones come as a clear winner in this market. Also, touching on the versatility of mobile games, they can be played anytime, anywhere, when compared to PCs, which can only be used while being at home.

It is also expensive to buy the gear, monitor and more. People outside already have access to these, and it’s a necessity for them. But in Indian homes, having a PC was never a necessity.

However, mobile games have helped PC games in a broader perspective. PUBG Mobile has especially helped because it brought in considerable viewership. When content creators occasionally shifted to PC games, it enlightened the masses and showcased the glamorous world of PC gaming.

Despite the recent PUBG Mobile ban, there hasn’t been a major shift of players to PC gaming, but yes, by the day, the viewing of these games has increased in our country. So I would say that PUBG Mobile players showed this direction to young gamers in our country.

Even star PUBG Mobile players like Ind.Snax, who is a friend of mine, are grinding Valorant for 10 hours daily to try and become the best. So, a couple of players are making the switch, but I would say that shifting from mobile to PC is like going the other way for gaming. It is tough.

Q. So many developers are bringing big free-to-play titles like League of Legends: Wild Rift, to mobile phones. Do you think these games are hampering the PC gaming scene in India?

Psy: Indian companies have to look for themselves. They will have to research and determine which is the biggest market for gaming in the country? If India has more mobile phone players as compared to PCs, then they will have to see how many gamers are interested in their title.

If we go to the Philippines, we can see a sharp increase in mobile gamers compared to PC ones. India has a diverse market for video games, which is benefiting mobile as well as PC gamers. The latter has always been supreme, and it that no secret. However, mobile gaming is something very unique, and people didn't see this coming a few years back.

As a result, many top titles like League of Legends are making their way to the mobile gaming industry, which makes the whole esports scene even more diverse and exciting for players.

Q. What do you think is the future of Valorant? Do you believe it could be as popular as the League of Legends or CS: GO esports scenes someday?

Psy: CS: GO is a legendary game, it cannot die even if players leave it, as new players will come and take their place. So I won't compare Valorant to CS: GO. If we talk about Riot's second title, LoL, I will take the example of my ex-manager, Sid Joshi, who was with me for four years. He used to play LoL at a professional level. He showed me a bunch of new games and provided me with sound advice as well.

He always used to tell me about Riot, saying that it is a company that takes its games to the top level. It makes very few games; however, the quality of each is top-notch. So, the company survived in the video game market with a single title, LoL, for ten years. It listens and knows what the community wants, which is crucial for any developer. If pros are complaining about something being overpowered, the devs immediately bring a fix for them in the next update.

Yesterday, I looked through my social media, and came across a player posting a ticket for a problem he was facing in-game, and the Riot dev replied to him by saying: "Hey Bro! We are really sorry about this." It's so cool when they have such conversations with the people playing the game.

This attracts lots of gamers, as they are assured that the game is responding with equal affection and respect. So yes, Valorant will soar high, just like the esports scene of League of Legends, in the future.

Q. Any message or suggestions for young gamers who are looking to become pros like you, and to make a name for themselves?

Psy: Never stop chasing your dreams! Never lose faith in yourself and always trust yourself. There were times when I faced a lot of extreme circumstances in my life, and I just said to myself that I should just give up, leave everything. But no, never do that. If you have a dream, strive hard to achieve it, and once you reach there, you will never stop and keep grinding to become the best at what you do.

Don't do anything forcefully in your life, as dedication is an essential thing. Be faithful and show respect in playing video games, just like when you do other things. Manage your time schedules. And do not copy or impersonate others to make your brand.

People come to my streams and say 'Arey apne Hiko ki tarah mara!' (You played it like Hiko). To that, I always say, I am not Hiko, I am Psy. This is me. Thus, never be scared of working hard, as it will indeed bear fruits one day.