"It is infected" - Sean Gares reveals match-fixing, cheating, and bribery issues in the North American VALORANT scene

I've been here for a while, but the desperation in the room is unlike anything I've ever felt.

Shopify Rebellion Black General Manager and long-standing member of the competitive FPS scene in North America Sean "seangares" Gares has taken to X (Twitter) to speak out against the serious issues that have taken over professional VALORANT in the region.

Among these, Sean Gares revealed that the North American Challengers scene in particular is plagued with cases of match-fixing and cheating, some of which have also led to instances of bribery and corruption.

"Rotten to the core" - What's going on with North American VALORANT?

During the five and a half minute long video, Sean Gares speaks of the North American VALORANT scene as being "infected". According to his own findings, Sean Gares has found cases of match-fixing, cheating, gambling rings, and even blackmail, all of which have led to "people making hundred of thousands of dollars on these games that are rigged."

For the time being, Sean Gares is yet to drop specific names, whether it be for teams, players, or other figures behind the scenes. From his approach to the whole thing, though, it is clear that Sean Gares believes the problem runs deep and appears to have been going on for some time now.

I've been looking into this for quite a bit now, and it's about time that it came out. I mean, I was trying to clear people behind the scenes and do due diligence, get through the proper channels. Riot is doing their own investigation. NA Challengers is doing their as well.

How could this all come to be?

It's no secret that making it to the top of any specific esports scene can be grueling road, and one which will always leave people behind along the way. In this, VALORANT is no different.

While players in the VCT are being paid considerable sums of money to compete for major trophies while playing the game they love, the same cannot always be said for the lower tiers of the game. As an example of this, Sean Gares listed several top level esports organizations which used to field VALORANT teams, yet have exited the scene over the course of the last few years. These are, to name just a few, orgs like Luminosity Gaming, Complexity, or The Guard.

All these tier one orgs have left and these players are desperate. They're getting bribed for tens of thousands of dollars in one instance to throw a game.

With the Tier-2 scene quickly devolving into chaos, players in the North American Challengers are resorting to any means necessary to keep their names in the game.

More to this story

Sean Gares' recent video appears to be nothing more than just the tip of the iceberg. As of now, details surrounding the specifics of any and all issues plaguing the scene are yet to come to light. With Riot Games already looking into the matter, as per Sean Gares himself, it's only a matter of time before more details rise to the surface.

This is gross. So, with that said, stay tuned.

Whether it be as a player, a coach, or in any other capacity, Sean Gares has been deeply rooted in North American esports for nearly two decades. After transitioning from Counter-Strike to VALORANT, Sean held the Head Coach position for 100 Thieves in 2022 before making the jump over to Shopify Rebellion, for whom he is now General Manager.

With so much of his life committed to the esports industry, Sean Gares now appears determined to cleanse the VALORANT scene, and North American Tier-2 in particular, of the issues that plague it. This, however, is only the beginning.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image Source: @seangares on X