The system is designed to provide a "fair game" experience for everyone. The "fair game" isn't an exclusive characteristic to you individually, it's for all 10 players in the server. That's where it breaks competitively. A fair game should be 10 people of equal skill.

What we get in ranked is, find 10 people, under a certain amount of time. Then in the server, balance the teams so they roughly equal each other. And over the course of "x" games, that variance is wild. And that variance (per what we know about modern match making where they use data to drive retention) is controlled.

Playing the game will make you better at playing the game.

Aim is a crutch that bails you out of like less than 5% of your situations. Playing methodically and with understanding is what makes you better. There's just nobody teaching this crazy and novel concept. But hey, here are the top 3 things radiant players do that you don't! Subscribe and join my discord... yada yada yada.

-signed a person with 4000 hours in aim training.

People still think rank is even teams fighting each other and if you're better, you move up.

How do you play for hundreds, if not thousands of hours and have this faith that you, not the system, is broken? I bet you think that if you work really really hard you too can be a millionaire.

Despite my biases...

That was a good a$$ series. Thank you to both teams.

To that dude who bet 700 on KRU

I think so.. I'm pretty sure you have to live in LA to do it.

How much do you think an analyst for VCT makes? And is it worth 3.5k viewership?

Massive respect for Fr0d who comes from a different era of gaming.

Hard for the current generation of coaches (who most are not players but great VOD reviewers) to understand the difference between being good and being clutch. This is not to say Zekken is not either or both, but to know the nuance between the two and react appropriately requires experience.

It not being cheating and Riot not letting us know probably means that it's related to VCT. It's probably goes against one of their initiatives that is of GREAT importance.

The lack of official statement means smaller blast area for public relations which is consumed by business sponsors. It's currently isolated to people who are heavily invested in the scene with no lives.

We're sorry to lose you. You would have been a great addition! If you change your mind, please give us a call as we can be hard to find.

Good, that's what entertainment is for. Glad I was successful :)

Would you be upset if I started a crusade against cronyism9?

I really dislike the potential narratives of this game. It's bad both ways for both teams. Win or lose, false hope or continued apologies.

I cannot wait for 2027 when both these teams get dumpstered by nobodies. 2027 will be the year where no one is going to care you're in a "rebuild" for the 5th time. No more excuses. VCT has just provided shelter for mid-Valorant and made competition sad.

You cannot convince me that Icy isn't making these threads.

sgares files, release em.

Bennet Island is looking for tryouts

shit

Nepotism killed the team.

Kez gaps Oxy

Thanks Envy :)

my crypto stash go up.

see ya tomorrow

see

yes.

wins.

I get it forever.

Nah... the one who ghosted me.

It would have never worked out. Maybe if I was uneducated and skipped out on college.

The nerf btw is the removal of perfect slide shooting. Jett doesn't get to shoot while dashing. You could even have the recover time after the slide be instant.

Here are 10 clear reasons why Taylor Swift’s music has become so widely popular:

Relatable storytelling
Her songs often tell detailed, personal stories about love, heartbreak, growth, and life experiences—things many people connect with easily.
Strong songwriting skills
She writes or co-writes most of her music, with memorable lyrics and clever phrasing that stick with listeners.
Emotional authenticity
Her music feels genuine. Whether happy or sad, listeners believe what she’s expressing.
Evolution across genres
She’s successfully moved from country → pop → indie/folk → alternative, keeping her sound fresh while expanding her audience.
Catchy melodies
Her songs are easy to remember and sing along to—key for mainstream success.
Connection with fans
She builds a strong emotional bond with her audience through lyrics, social media, and fan engagement.
Cultural relevance
Her music often reflects current emotions, trends, and generational experiences, especially for millennials and Gen Z.
High-quality production
She collaborates with top producers (like Jack Antonoff and Max Martin), giving her songs polished, radio-friendly sound.
Versatility in themes
She writes about more than romance—covering fame, identity, friendship, revenge, nostalgia, and self-discovery.
Narrative universes (Easter eggs)
Fans love decoding hidden meanings, references, and connections across albums, which deepens engagement and replay value.

Neon's abilities destroy the rules of gunplay.

Shotgun is only good at close range? Well cool, Neon can slide 7 meters and can close the gap.
Trying to hold an angle? Well bullet tagging isn't very effective when Neon is air-strafing and can instantly slide when she touches the ground.
Can jump peek angles with impunity.
Fastest rotation time (omen ult not included) post Yoru nerfs

I don't like shitting on the devs but this doesn't follow their original intent and it was right about time the newer devs started showing up on camera in the dev blogs. Pretty sure they shipped this with bronze players Q&A'ing her.

100T at 4 because they beat EG? ... hmm...

Imagine playing Deadlock like Cypher. The bar for Senti pro play is on the floor.

Never mind... They are using it like a Cypher. Pro players not knowing how to use Deadlock in the big 26.

All the crap this community gave me for mentioning Deadlock is a counter to Neon... It's about time we see it in VCT.

Immi reactions

NRG Academy and paycheck cashing at Maryland

Epic VCT run. Legendary bald man with chain.

200 page report if Zikz does a c9 assistant coach search

Unironically funny now.

thank you?

And how did it make you feel? Are you going to quit Valorant or are you going to continue to try to get back to ranking up?

I think the answer is you feel like something is taken away from you by not being where you think you deserve. This is your brain working against you and telling you to continue to play. This is how ranked works. It analyzes when you play and when you don't. The patterns of you getting close to ranking up are probably when you play more. It will move you to a place where you are almost there just to keep you playing.

We live in a data drive society now. Technology is built this way on purpose.

@stunner @wkn, recruit me, I'll fix it.

I'm talking about Tenz. But thank you for letting me know.

Here ya go dude... a three hour deep dive into the magic behind matchmaking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6vtxLtJDP4

Data driven analytics provides the sorting algorithm a roadmap to keep you playing and addicted enough to buy skins.

Picking esports over college has its downside.

You dropped 30 because Riot gave you a game they expected you to win. You lost 20 because it was a challenge and you lost the challenge.

The whole system is built to keep you playing. Thank Evrmoar and the patents that Riot Games/Tencent hold.

In the 2010s, there was a push to make the esports ecosystem more viable. It started with OW. Basically they want to give players time off. Equating it to traditional sports like basketball or baseball, where the players do not play year round. Franchise leagues help with this concept.

However, it turns out the best players are the ones who play 24/7 and end up having the longest careers due to actually playing the game. So many players end up indulging in "esports pro lifestyle" of women and partying, they end up crashing out of the scene.

Is it worth educating the youth? Or am I going to up the bait?

VLR or /r/valcomp?