ENVY Eggsterr: "Don't go easy on me. Give me the s***talk. Imma come back stronger."

The series between ENVY and Cloud9 is one that saw both teams battle closely with one another all throughout the three-game thriller. All three games, were within grasp of a victory for Envy in a series that nearly could have been a 2-0 sweep for the reigning VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Ascension Americas champions. Instead, the team found themselves placed into the Lower Bracket after all of their efforts.

For Evan "Eggsterr" Grady, the only way he could describe how he felt all throughout that series was “scatterbrained.”

“Scatterbrained is how I would describe it,” Eggsterr said. “Like, I couldn’t even put simple thoughts together, it was really bad. I don’t really know what was happening in those rounds and then when someone does eventually end up on my screen, I can’t f***** hit them.”

One of the biggest talking points all throughout the Envy vs Cloud9 series centered around the numerous tech pauses that made it one of the longest matches of the VCT 2026 season. While some may point towards the tech pauses as being a hindrance to their play, it was a break that actually helped Eggsterr manage “adrenaline”.

“I don’t think the tech pauses mattered too much; if anything, they helped because I just had too much adrenaline. I could barely hold my mouse today. It was really bad. I think I only had OP and judge kills this whole series. It was pretty embarrassing.”

Destined to Ascend into the VCT

Just one year ago, Eggsterr watched the VCT 2025 season play out from the comforts of his setup back home, simultaneously pushing out content to his YouTube channel while balancing the VCL 2025 season with Envy. He remembered feeling confident and playing without nerves almost every single day because ascending to VCT Americas felt like “destiny”.

“At Ascension, I feel like we were destined to win,” Eggsterr said. “Here, I don’t feel that yet so there are a lot more nerves.”

Those nerves were deeply present in ENVY’s series against Cloud9 as Eggsterr compiled a 0.69 Rating in the close series.

“I tried to mirror what I did for Ascension, but honestly I think there was way less pressure at Ascension than here which is weird to say,” Eggsterr admitted.

Not everything has been perfect getting to the Tier One level, Eggsterr admitted and had moments where he needed to make adjustments in order to maintain his strong level of play in 2025.

He remembered one situation at VCT Ascension Americas 2025 where he hopped onto the server feeling off. He noted simple things like a chair feeling off accompanied by a “roaring crowd” of Brazilian fans cheering for their opponents Team Solid. It was a similar “feeling” all throughout their series against Cloud9.

“It was a weird vibe because I played really bad. To have that many people watching me play bad felt even worse. But today, I just had to suffer in silence by myself. They’re both equally bad.”

After an electrifying series against Evil Geniuses to kickstart his Tier One journey, Eggsterr has had trouble replicating that level of play in the team’s other series’. Despite everything, the player had just one final message for fans before making his Lower Bracket run.

“Even though I’m playing bad, this is not nearly the level I should be playing,” Eggsterr said.

“Don’t go easy on me. Give me the s*** talk bro, I’m gonna come back stronger.”

Envy will have an opportunity to rest all throughout week three of VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Americas Kickoff. They will await the winner of the LOUD vs Evil Geniuses match on January 31, 2025, where they will be fighting for their tournament lives in the Lower Bracket. That match will take place on February 6, 2026, in the fourth week of VCT Americas Kickoff

Be sure to follow THESPIKE.GG for more VALORANT esports content like this as we progress through VCT Americas Kickoff.