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Top 10 Valorant Moments of 2023

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Top 10 Valorant Moments of 2023

Join us as we explore the top 10 Valorant moments of 2023

As the curtains draw on VCT 2023, we now find ourselves amidst the off-season events, a brief respite before the highly anticipated arrival of the VCT 2024 season. As we bid farewell to this remarkable year, we have compiled the most unforgettable moments from this season. So, buckle up as we take a trip down memory lane and present the top 10 Valorant moments of 2023.

Top 10 Valorant Moments of 2023

With numerous thrilling events throughout the season, it is a tough task to pick only 10 moments. We, the fans, were treated with countless feats—be it insane plays, astonishing comebacks, or dominant performances. Yet, after extensive research, here is what we think are the top 10 Valorant moments of 2023.

Bleed sScary 1v4 Clutch

We start our list with the undisputed best clutch of the year. Nutchaphon “sScary” Matarat from Bleed Esports, who has always been revered for his insane clutch potential, transcended all expectations in the VCT Pacific Ascension Grand Finale against Scarz when he clutched an unwinnable round to help his team win the first map of the BO5.

The 24-year-old prodigy redefined the boundaries of clutch mastery by staging an awe-inspiring sequence: securing two quick kills from the Garage Window, defying the odds by stealing the bomb using the Omen's ultimate right in front of two enemies, planting the bomb in the last second, and ending the round with an unparalleled Ace.

C9 Dropping yay and Vanity

The start of the 2023 season saw Cloud9 creating a powerhouse roster, augmenting their already formidable lineup by adding the former NRG megastar, Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker. The roster was loaded with mechanical prowess and seasoned experience and expectations soared sky-high. Yet, C9 fell flat in the LOCK//IN event, getting eliminated from the second round.

Despite the bad start, it still came as a massive shock when the org decided to drop both yay, then regarded as the best player in the world, alongside the IGL, Anthony “vanity” Malaspina. Surprisingly, this overhaul proved to be a stroke of genius as Cloud9 went on to have an excellent run at the VCT Americas.

The Guard Winning Americas Ascension

Along with G2 and M80, The Guard was the North American region's strongest contender for the Ascension title. Following a breakout performance the previous season, they began this year's journey with a sole change to the roster: texx stepping in for sayaplayer. The Ascension journey for Valyn and co was largely untroubled. The young roster barely faced any serious challenge and eventually dominantly won the Ascension league, beating their biggest rival of the season, M80.

However, the biggest shock came when the team went Orgless as The Guard failed to meet the criteria Riot required to compete in the franchise league. Luckily, the roster was later picked up by G2, and we can witness the rebranded squad gear up to compete in the upcoming VCT Americas under the G2 banner.

4-Duelist Comp by Team SMG GC

It is not uncommon for teams to try unconventional agent composition to surprise their opponent. We have seen Paper Rex do it multiple times. However, what Team SMG did in the Upper QF of the Game Changers Championship was unheard of. The Singaporean squad astounded the Valorant community by fielding a 4 Duelist team composition on Lotus against Evil Geniuses GC. What added to the surprise was their one-sided victory on the map despite this unorthodox lineup.

KRÜ Esports Unbeaten LCQ Run

KRÜ Esports had a disastrous start to the season, losing all their first 10 games. After going winless in both the Kickoff event and VCT Americas league stage, the team was deemed the weakest link in the entire VCT, not solely in the Americas. Hence, when the Latin Americans started their LCQ journey, expectations plummeted to zero.

However, proving all predictions false, Melser and Co stunned the community with an extraordinary showing in the Americas LCQ. Their campaign began with a commanding victory over MIBR and continued with an unbeaten streak throughout the tournament.

PRX Reverse Sweep

Paper Rex and DRX have had the biggest rivalry in the Pacific region since the first VCT season. With the advent of franchising this year and both teams making it to the Pacific League, we were bound to witness the resumption of their intense rivalry. Making all the pre-tournament predictions accurate, the Titans faced each other in the Grand Final of VCT Pacific, and we witnessed an absolute barn burner.

At first, it seemed that similar to the past seasons, DRX would once again get the better of their rival as they took a comfortable 2-0 lead. However, Jinggg and the PRX squad staged an incredible comeback, culminating in a breathtaking reverse sweep to win the Championship.

Rise of KangKang and EDG

Following Riot Games' announcement of reserving two/three slots for China in international events, questions were raised about the decision. Many doubted how good Chinese Valorant would be, considering their late start to the game. However, doubts dissipated soon after EDward Gaming's debut.

In the Masters Tokyo, EDG surpassed all expectations, toppling illustrious big-name teams such as LOUD, NAVI, and T1. Additionally, with the rise of EDward Gaming, the Valorant scene got itself a new megastar: the prodigious 19-year-old, KangKang, who terrorized the servers in every event he played.

SR Florescent’s LAN Kill Record

The 2023 Game Changers Championship was the last LAN event of the year, and it did not disappoint the fans. Among its many unforgettable moments, one instance etched itself into Valorant history: florescent from Shopify Rebellion surpassing the LAN kill record.

Previously held by Demon1 at 101 kills, Ava “florescent” Eugene broke the record and did so in breathtaking fashion during the Grand Finale. The 17-year-old prodigy ended the BO5 series with an astounding 112 kills, a performance that helped her team to a 3-2 victory over Team Liquid Brazil and secure the Championship title.

Evil Geniuses Completing Cinderella Run

Evil Geniuses' journey in Valorant this season is a classic rags-to-riches story. Right after they made Franchising, EG was scrutinized for not creating a proper roster. The criticism started to build up after the team had a shambolic start to the season, with losses left and right. However, one slight change in the team during the halfway point of the VCT Americas made all the difference.

Evil Geniuses, with Demon1 taking the role of primary Duelist, became one of the best teams in the world literally overnight. The team started playing some of the best Valorant over the next few events, but they reached their absolute best in the biggest event of the year, Valorant Champions 2023. In the Champions event, Boostio led his team to win the event and completed the remarkable comeback story that started with them qualifying for the VCT Americas knockout stage by sheer luck.

FNATIC vs LOUD – Match of the Year

The rivalry between FNATIC and LOUD has to be the biggest storyline of the 2023 VCT season. The rivalry was formed in the grandest stage possible as the teams prepared to clash for the first time ever at the Grand Final of the inaugural international event of the year, LOCK//IN Sao Paulo.

FNATIC started the Grand Final in a similar manner to all of their previous matches. They blew LOUD off the server in the first two maps. However, the tide shifted as LOUD pushed back, securing victories in the next two maps. The Brazilians even went on to take a dominating 11-3 lead on the final map and were on the brink of winning it all on their home turf. Yet, just when victory seemed close at hand for LOUD, the Europeans accomplished the impossible, forcing the game into overtime and ultimately clinching the win.

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Top 10 Valorant Moments of 2023
Thealchemist
Who knew combining a love for cheesy one-liners and Valorant would lead to a writing career?