One of the most recognizable figures in the Valorant scene, Tyson “TenZ” Ngo, has decided to take a break from the competitive scene. The announcements were posted via Twitter.
The original member of #C9BLUE @TenZ_CS has elected to step down from the team and competitive @PlayVALORANT to pursue content creation
Thank you for all you’ve contributed to Cloud9 competitively – time to watch you shine in content! pic.twitter.com/moppk8q8pW
— Cloud9 (@Cloud9) January 12, 2021
In Cloud9’s farewell video, TenZ mentioned that he is now focusing on content creation. He expressed his gratitude to the community as they contributed to his huge following in social media.
However he likewise mentioned the struggles the team endured especially in the culminating months of 2020. By the end of 2020, his team only attained mid-tier finishes. Amid his retirement, TenZ is still supporting the competitive scene and he even hinted a potential return when COVID-19 ends. He stated in the video that he once did the same thing in the CS:GO scene, where he retired to focus on content creation while waiting for the release of Valorant.
It was a massive surprise as TenZ has only been involved in the competitive scene since April of last year. In his tenure as a professional player, TenZ made massive strides. He first rose to prominence for being the first player to reach the Radiant rank in North America during the closed beta phase. Eventually he garnered a 1st place finish in Elite Esports – Rivalry Bowl tournament. He also had a solid outing as he was able to capture 2nd and 3rd place finishes in A-tier and B-tier tournaments. The tournaments he joined aren’t sponsored by Riot Games, the game’s official developer.
His departure came in a time when the game has already set their sights in the global esports stage. It’s possible that TenZ will make his return once Riot announces their LAN tournaments.
