The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) Masters 2022 Stage 2 Copenhagen is scheduled to begin on July 10, 2022 and this much-awaited two-week-long event will pit the top 12 teams from around the globe against each other at the Forum Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Qualified teams will battle it out in a LAN format to crown themselves the winners of Masters Stage 2 and for a greater portion of the hefty prize pool. A large number of VCT circuit points will also be rewarded and these will help teams increase their chances of qualifying for the VCT Champions tournament at the end of the year.
Top 5 Controllers to look out for at VCT Masters 2022 Stage 2 Copenhagen
Controllers play one of the most instrumental roles in a Valorant match, with an arsenal of abilities that hinder their opponents' ability to take control of parts of the map. The Controller role is present on every competitive roster, be it with Omen, Viper, or even Brimstone. These vital players can drastically change the course of a round by giving their team a clear advantage.
The VCT Masters Stage 2 will showcase some of the best players maining this role as they fight against each other for control over important portions of the map. In this list, we will mention the top 5 players filling the role of a Controller for their teams at the highest level.
5) sScary
The former X10 roster, now known as XERXIA, has been consistently present at previous main stage VCT lan events. They are one of the best-known teams in the APAC region, usually only slightly behind Paper Rex in the rankings, finishing second in Challengers.
A large portion of their success can be attributed to Nutchaphon "sScary" Matarat, the Thai-national Controller player who has been showing up big in every match he's present in. He clocked in with a 214 ACS (Average Combat Score) and 1.05 KD (Kill Death ratio) during the previous Masters Stage 1, and 227 ACS along with a 1.27 KD during the Challengers. These are certainly impressive stats considering the impact he has using smokes in a round alongside fragging out.
4) Boaster
One of the most prominent organizations when it comes to any first-person-shooter are the European giants, Fnatic. The in-game leader (IGL) for the Fnatic Valorant roster is Jake "Boaster" Howlett, the highly experienced former CS:GO player who brought his talent over to the Valorant competitive scene.
Boaster, hands down, has been the major reason behind Fnatic's success in qualifying for multiple VCT main stage tournaments, and recently changed into the role of a Controller. Paired with his unrivaled experience regarding the different strategies needed to win a round, he has impressed everyone with his brilliant Controller gameplay in the Challengers, helping his team win the tournament.
3) SUYGETSU
The former EMEA Challengers winners, FPX (FunPlus Phoenix), have come a long way since their unfortunate absence at the previous Masters Stage 1 due to uncontrollable circumstances. This time around, they will be attending the Masters Stage 2 Copenhagen as the runners-up from the regional qualifiers.
Their break-out star player, Dmitry "SUYGETSU" Ilyushin, has proven to be a sensationally talented Viper player. Generally near the top of the scoreboard for his team, even as a supportive agent, his incredible performances have many Valorant fans talking about his aim and game awareness. He finished the recent Challengers campaign with a 221 ACS and 1.19 KD, which is rather impressive considering his role in the team.
2) MaKo
DRX (DragonX) acquired the former Vision Strikers roster earlier this year, as the roster is well-known in the Valorant competitive scene with multiple top tournament participations. They have been dominating the Korean scene ever since its inception and have been the staple choice as the region's favorites.
Their Controller player, Kim "MaKo" Myeong-kwan, has caught the eye of many fans and analysts alike with his amazing performance during the VCT Masters Reykjavik. Playing a generally supportive role with his smokes, he has pulled up stats beyond expectations by finishing in the top six statistically ranked players during the event, showing up with 245 ACS and 1.30 KD and being the sole Controller main in the top 10 list that is usually filled with Duelists.
1) Marved
The reigning champions, OpTic Gaming, have proven time and time again that they belong not only on the main stage, but as the winning contenders for any tournament they participate in. They have been to the finals of both the previous iterations of the VCT Masters and winning the latest one.
Jimmy "Marved" Nguyen has always been overshadowed by the success of some of his teammates, such as Jaccob "yay" Whiteaker. However, as almost all analysts within the professional scene agree, Marved has been an integral part of the team's success as he creates the situations and scenarios needed in a round to make sure that his teammates are in favorable positions.
Using smokes and other utilities, he ensures that opponents are always strained for options and, if required, he can step up to the occasion with impactful frags of his own.
This article reflects the personal views of the author.