Team Secret shows up in Berlin, puts Philippine Valorant on the Map

Video games have been a beacon of hope in this time of isolation for a multitude of people. Because of lockdown restrictions, businesses have closed and thousands have changed their ways of life. However, the situation isn’t completely bleak as there have been bright spots in different industries and sectors of our community. The gaming industry has seen a new Giant rise with the release of Riot’s tactical shooter, Valorant.

Valorant is a team-based first-person shooter, FPS, where players either defend or attack a site to complete an objective. Players can be sent to one out of seven different maps, where they can choose a variety of different ‘agents’ they wish to play for that game. Think Overwatch with the mechanics of CS: GO. There are two teams of five, and the first team to win 13 rounds wins the match. If the two sides are tied at 12 rounds apiece, it is a “win by two” scenario (14-12, 17-15, etc.)  Upon the game’s release, the developers have worked tirelessly to produce a world-class professional scene, where top players from around the world can compete with one another. The epitome of this competitive scene can be found in the Valorant Champions Tournament, or VCT being held in Berlin, Germany. 

The VCT features teams from around the world, from North America to Korea, Europe, and even South East Asia. The Philippines’ Team Secret made their first international ‘LAN’ (face-to-face) appearance on the biggest Valorant stage in this tournament, and suffice to say they did not disappoint. Coming as a general unknown due to not appearing in any international in-person events, casters and general audiences did not know what to expect from the Philippine team. After their first match, however, Team Secret (TS) showed that they came to play. 

TS first went up against the defending champions Gambit Esports and even though they lost the best of 3 series 1-2, the fact that TS won one of the matches proved that they shouldn’t be overlooked. The next matchup for TS was against the Japanese team known as Crazy Racoons, where the Philippines won both matches in convincing fashion (13-5, 13-2). Following their success over Japan, TS had a chance to make the quarterfinals if they won their next matchup against the Brazillian team, Vikings. This series proved the strength of TS as they kept their momentum, winning two games straight in a stellar fashion (13-6, 13-7). Sadly, the quarterfinals are where Team Secret ended their run as they were up against one of the favorites to win it all, ACEND, losing two consecutive matches. However, due to their Cinderella story, the international Valorant community recognizes the Philippines as a region to look out for in the future. 

After being eliminated from the playoff bracket, TS took home $40,000 (~P2 million) in prize money. Team Secret is composed of Filipino esports veterans JessieVash, DubsteP, BORKUM, Dispenser, and witz. Originally from BREN esports, they made the organization move after failing to go to the previous tournament due to visa issues. 

Source: Rappler, Philstar