Since VALORANT’s release in 2020, its esports scene has been an integral part of the game.
Created by Riot Games, the developer of the symbolic esports title League of Legends, the VALORANT competitive scene has seen its fair share of upsets, comebacks and defining moments throughout its short lifespan.
To celebrate the game’s fifth anniversary, the heads of VALORANT Esports EMEA have provided Esports Insider with their top five moments that have defined the scene. So without further ado, let’s dive in.
5. FUT Esports reverse sweeps Team Vitality in the first-ever EMEA Tier 2 Grand Final (August 2022)
“One of the earliest EMEA Grand Finals offered fans a series to be remembered, with France’s Team Vitality reverse-swept by Türkiye’s FUT esports in fine fashion, commented Tomek Borowka, Product Manager for Challengers EMEA and Game Changers EMEA.
“After Vitality reached 2-0, I couldn’t see how FUT Esports would be able to recover the deficit, but round-by-round the team clawed back to win the series 3-2. I still keep a signed FUT jersey on my desk to this day as a reminder of that emotional rollercoaster of a series!”
Outside of the series itself being a classic, VALORANT EMEA’s Tier 2 scene in 2022 is exciting to look back on in hindsight. This is largely due to the VALORANT Regional League Finals featuring two teams that would become part of the inaugural VCT EMEA International League line-up.
Whilst most of the players from Team Vitality and FUT Esports have since taken different paths, VRL 2022 winners Doğukan ‘qRaxs’ Balaban and Furkan ‘MrFaliN’ Yeğen still compete for the Turkish organisation to this day.
4. G2 Gozen lift the first Game Changers Championship trophy (November 2022)
“The first ever Game Changers Championship quickly looked out of our hands as EMEA favourites G2 Gozen were 2-0 down in the best-of-five Grand Finals against America’s dark horse Shopify Rebellion,” said Borowka.
“An incredible reverse sweep deep into the night allowed them to win on home turf in Berlin 3-2, dropping just 10 rounds in those last three maps after conceding 26 rounds in the first two. It was an incredible watch and a moment in my career that I’ll never forget!”
In February 2021, shortly after VALORANT’s esports scene was being established, Riot Games launched Game Changers to create opportunities for women and marginalised gamers in the ecosystem. The Game Changers scene is often heralded as a significant project that has broken barriers for women in esports, and hosting a world championship was a major milestone.
Following the 2022 finals, both G2 Gozen and Shopify Rebellion have gone on to become reputable teams within the VALORANT scene. Despite Shopify Rebellion being the underdogs in 2022, the women’s team became the first Game Changers roster to qualify for the VALORANT Challengers circuit in 2025.
3. Fnatic win back-to-back international trophies at Masters Tokyo (June 2023)
“Even just five years into the life of VALORANT esports, it is rare to state that there is something that no other team has been able to achieve, yet FNATIC have held onto significant bragging rights for two years now,” stated Jonathan Tilbury, Product Lead for VCT EMEA.
“The only team to ever win back-to-back international trophies, they did it in emphatic style at Masters Tokyo, beating eventual 2023 Champions Evil Geniuses without losing a single map. Emir ‘Alfajer’ Beder dropped a Sentinel masterclass that day, further cementing his place among the very best players in VALORANT history.”
Over the years, Fnatic has cemented itself as one of the most successful and popular VALORANT EMEA teams, in no small part due to its victories at VCT 2023 LOCK//IN and Master Tokyo.
The team, led by IGL Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett, has also achieved regional accolades, claiming four EMEA trophies (VCT 2022: Stage 2 Challengers, VCT 2024: Stage 1 and 2, and VCT 2025: Stage 1).
2. Acend becomes the first-ever VALORANT world champions in Berlin (December 2021)
“The first ever Champions was undoubtedly one for the books, offering us an all-EMEA final that was tightly contested with over 100 rounds played across all five maps,” explained Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports EMEA.
“Both rosters [Acend and Gambit Esports] wrote themselves in the history of VALORANT esports on that day, with so many of those names going on to see continued success, and so many continuing to play at the highest level to this day. It’s a reminder that EMEA is due another Champs trophy!”
It wouldn’t be a list celebrating VALORANT’s top esports moments without the inaugural world champions Acend. Whilst the organisation is no longer in the VALORANT esports scene, its achievements will never go unnoticed. Following the championship, Acend’s MVP Aleksander ‘zeek’ Zygmunt has gone on to play for the likes of Team Heretics, GoNext Esports and Enterprise Esports, the latter of which is his current team.
Meanwhile, Acend’s opponent, Gambit, featured high-profile players who have since competed in VCT EMEA. This includes Fnatic’s Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov and Team Liquid’s Ayaz ‘nAts’ Akhmetshin.
1. Fnatic’s LOCK//IN Grand Final comeback vs LOUD (March 2023)
“I’m not sure if we’ll ever see another moment like this. For a team to be 11-3 down on the final map of the series in the home arena of the opposition, and come back against the local favourites to win 14-12 is an incredible feat,” said Ringland.
“It’s a testament to the mental resilience of that FNATIC team and we are incredibly lucky to have them in VCT EMEA.”
It’s no surprise that VALORANT Esports EMEA’s top moment is arguably one of the best comebacks seen in a world championship final — and in all of esports. As Ringland highlighted, not only is the feat of coming back from an 11-3 deficit impressive, but to do it in LOUD’s home country adds an extra layer of pressure.
Most fans will just remember map five on Icebox, but the entire series provided twists and turns. Fnatic claimed the first two maps, then LOUD gained momentum to take the third and fourth maps, hoping to complete a reverse sweep. But ultimately, the EMEA team walked out of São Paulo victorious.
What Is Next For VALORANT Esports?
Many fans are celebrating VALORANT’s past during this five-year celebration. However, it’s also important to remember the present. Starting tomorrow, the VALORANT Champions Tour heads to Toronto, Canada, for its upcoming Masters event. This is sure to add more impactful moments to look back on and maybe even define the careers of some players going forward.
