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Rishi "Rvk" Vijayakumar is one of the emerging talents of the Valorant esports scene. The 20-year-old Valorant player is currently playing for Enigma Gaming, one of the top teams in India.
RvK started his career as a CS: GO professional. However, after the release of Valorant in India and watching its growth, RvK decided to switch into the Riot's tactical shooter last March. He started his Valorant career with F1LS Esports. He joined Enigma Gaming last September, and they are currently one of the best Valorant teams in the South Asian region.
However, Sportskeeda Esports Rishab Chakladar had a chat with the rising star. RvK discussed his esports journey, Enigma Gaming's upcoming plans, and the Indian Valorant scene.
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Here is what RvK said in the interview:
Q. Hello RvK, can you briefly tell our readers about you and your esports journey till now?
RvK: Hello! My name is Rishi Vijayakumar, I am 20 years old, and I currently play Valorant professionally for Enigma Gaming. I have been playing FPS games, especially CS: GO, since 2018, and in 2020 I had a big break when I got the opportunity to play in Bl4ze esports, which was at the time one of the best teams in the country, and that's when my professional career began.
Q. You started your esports career as a CS: GO player. Last year you decided to switch to Valorant. How much was it for you to get accustomed to the new game? Can you tell us more about your experience?
RvK: After being a part of Bl4ze esports for eight months, I decided that I wanted to explore my career options with Valorant because it was a game that began to grow significantly in the Indian community. All of the other pros of the country switched to the game too.
In March 2021, I made my switch, and it has been an amazing experience to be able to play with some of the best players in our region and compete at the highest levels. It did take me time to understand the use of abilities and the maps etc., but I feel like I have a decent grip on the game right now, but I’m still lacking in many aspects, so I look forward to growing every day!
Q. Valorant currently has 16 agents in the game. Which agent do you prefer to play more, and how does the agent compliment your gameplay style?
RvK: I think right from the start, I played the Sentinel role, i.e., Cypher and Killjoy. So I prefer this role because I feel like it suits my playstyle and how I approach the game.
Q. Which map is your most favorite and least favorite among all seven maps in the game?
RvK: I think right now my favorite map is Ascent because I feel like it's one of the simpler maps to understand, and on the other hand, my least favorite map would be Fracture just because I haven’t played it as much as the other maps.
Q. You recently joined Enigma Gaming after a decent spell at F1LS Esports. Within a month of forming a new team, you guys have already started to dominate the scene. How do you guys synchronize yourself together within this short period of time?
RvK: After my switch to Enigma Gaming, we set certain goals for ourselves for the next few tournaments just to get a bit of practice and understand each other. We got in 3-4 days of practice just before all the tournaments began, and we planned to use the matches as a way to learn and grow with each other.
I am so proud of the whole team for winning three titles in our first month under the Enigma Gaming banner and also coming second in the Skyesports Valorant Championship 3.0. It really boosted our confidence, and I hope we continue to perform well and soon get that number one spot!
Q. You were the runner-up of the Skyesports Valorant Championship 3.0. Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar was present at the award ceremony as well. Tell us about your experience of the event!
RvK: It was my first-ever esports event, so I was definitely nervous to meet all the huge representatives of our Indian community and felt happy that I finally made it to the big stage. I always wanted to grow and reach new heights, and the event really showed me how hard I need to work to stay consistent and hopefully make it to more events like this.
Watching Sachin sir standing in front of me was a total fanboy moment because all of us have seen him on TV playing some amazing cricket. To be able to witness him talk about esports and support us is something I would never have imagined. Special thanks to the entirety of Skyesports for making that happen.
Q. What are your thoughts on the growth of the Indian Valorant scene so far?
RvK: I think it's the best been in any PC game in our country. The way Global Esports performed at the Valorant Champions Tour APAC Last Chance Qualifier really made a statement for our region and showed the immense potential we have. This is just the beginning, so I cannot wait for more of this, and I hope to be part of the community in the best way possible!
Q. LAN events are set to be back in the region. Did you miss the LAN days, and how excited you are for the events?
RvK: I love LAN events! It's how I started my journey in CS: GO by playing with or against the pros of our country in LAN events around Mumbai. So it is special to me. It's an amazing feeling to be able to play in front of a crowd, and I am super excited for the LAN culture to be back, especially post COVID.
Q. Global Esports has made India proud in the recently concluded APAC LCQ. What is your view on the team’s performance in the tournament?
RvK: It was really something special for us to watch. Global Esports' performance in the Valorant Champions Tour APAC Last Chance Qualifier really made it clear that Valorant could be the game where India is finally a force to be reckoned with, and I’m nothing but proud of them for doing the best they could.
Q. Do you think the Global Esports’ performance will help the South Asian region to grow in the coming days?
RvK: I don't expect changes instantly, but now Global Esports has set the standard to reach and beat, which makes the competition in our region spicier and even better! The region was always growing, but this is going to boost that process.
Q. Valorant Champions 2021 is starting this December. The top 16 teams around the globe will be competing to be the best team of the year. Which team do you think are the favorites to win, and which team are you going to support in the tournament?
RvK: I personally want Ayaz "nAts" Akhmetshin and Gambit Esports to win Valorant Champions 2021 just because he is so wholesome and insanely skilled to watch. Another personal favorite I think would be Sentinels just because I love their banter, and obviously, they have proven themselves to be one of if not the best in the world!
