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Valorant Champions is right around the corner. It is the final event of the official VCT circuit in 2023 and will see a total of 16 teams from all around the world compete for the title of World Champion. These teams have been determined through their franchised league standings, LCQ (Last Chance Qualifiers), and qualifier event (for the Chinese teams).
2023 has been a unique year for VCT. After the introduction of franchising, there have been multiple LAN events. From LOCK//IN to Regular Season in the Leagues to Masters Tokyo, all VCT events have gotten more and more competitive as time has passed.
The final event of the year is surely going to lead to an action-packed conclusion to VCT 2023. There are many players and teams who have been looking deadly ever since their last appearance. Below is a list of five such Initiator players to look out for in Valorant Champions 2023.
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Leo, d4v41, and three more Initiator players to watch out for in Valorant Champions 2023
1) Leo
Leo "Leo" Jannesson is an esports player from Sweden who plays for Fnatic. He competes in the EMEA region of Valorant esports. Apart from the Initiator role, Leo has also played as the Sentinel, Sage, and Controller, Omen in the past.
In the early days of VCT, Leo was a part of Guild Esports. The team was amongst the top 10 in the region and even qualified for an international event. However, Leo had to leave as they didn't make it to franchising.
For 2023, Leo joined a stacked roster of Fnatic. With this new team, he performed better than ever before. His utility was always impactful and could always be relied on during a clutch scenario.
The team has already won two international trophies and can certainly win their third. Leo is easily among the best Initiator players in the world.
2) d4v41
Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee is a Malaysian esports player who plays for Paper Rex. He competes in the Pacific region of Valorant esports. d4v41 has also played the role of the Sentinel, Chamber, and Killoy alongside the Controller, Viper making him a very versatile player.
d4v41 has been a part of Paper Rex for a very long time. The team has made multiple international appearances and is now considered among the top teams in the world. He has played multiple roles for his team in the past few years. He always has a high amount of impact during rounds and blends perfectly with the W Gaming style of their team.
He had a total ACS (Average Combat Score) of 188.3 in VCT Masters Tokyo where he played four different Agents. Over the course of many years, d4v41 has become one of the most impactful Initiator players in the world.
3) crashies
Austin "crashies" Roberts is an American esports player who currently plays for NRG Esports. Besides the role of Initiator, crashies has also played the role of the Sentinel, Cypher, in the past.
Crashies and his former team, OpTic Gaming, were amongst the top teams in the world. They even won VCT Stage 1: Masters Reykjavik in 2021. The core of this team has since been able to replicate the same type of results after joining NRG Esports in 2023.
crashies is an incredibly reliable player. His utility is always on point, and he successfully sets up his teammates for multiple kills. On top of that, he can also clutch out rounds for his team when the situation arises.
4) nobody
Wang "nobody" Senxu is a Chinese esports player who plays for EDward Gaming. He has played many Initiator Agents but has been on Skye for most of the time.
nobody and EDward Gaming have had a long ride to reaching Valorant's best. VCT Masters Tokyo was the gateway for EDward Gaming to truly showcase their skill. With their 5th-6th place finish, EDward Gaming has now solidified itself as one of the most anticipated teams coming into Valorant Champions 2023.
While nobody's utility is always great, where he truly shines is his exceptional aim. He had a total ACS of 191.9 in VCT Masters Tokyo. His 3k against LOUD while being concussed was one of the best highlights in the entire event.
5) Ethan
Ethan "Ethan" Arnold is an American esports player who currently plays for Evil Geniuses. He has also helmed the role of the Sentinel, Sage, and Controller, Omen, in the past.
Ethan was picked up by Evil Geniuses in November 2022. He is the most experienced player on the team in Valorant, having been to an international event with his former team, 100 Thieves.
He is easily one of the best players in Evil Geniuses. There is not a single flash from Ethan that goes to waste. He has a great impact during every match and is also incredibly mechanically talented. He had a total ACS of 190.4 with three different Agents in VCT Masters Tokyo. With the current roster, he has a chance to win his first trophy in Valorant.
