TenZ breaks down why Tier 2 VALORANT match-fixing drama is "not surprising"

One of the biggest stories that has taken over competitive VALORANT is the supposed widespread issues of matchfixing and bribery in the tier two scene, broken down by Shopify Rebellion general manager and former pro player Sean "sgares" Gares.

It is a collection of allegations that has rocked the scene, but one of VALORANT’s most iconic players has chimed in saying that the issues are not a surprise. Former Sentinels superstar Tyson "TenZ" Ngo says that match-fixing is to be expected because the current state in tier two is “absolutely terrible.”

TenZ airs out his grievances around Tier 2

The 24-year-old dropped a lengthy statement on his social media, stating that tier two was “fundamentally killed” after Riot introduced franchising to the scene, since it meant Challengers teams and the leagues were left out to dry with no hands-on support or true financial aid to those organizations looking to invest in the future of VALORANT esports.

As a result, TenZ thinks that when a player’s dreams of making it to tier one is snuffed due to lack of support, they may resort to match-fixing in order to make ends meet, or in his eyes, to get the kind of money that “could be life-changing.”

I think one thing Riot failed to consider is that Tier 2 is a crucial pillar of support for Tier 1 play. It's incredibly exciting to see new underdog teams and rising talent perform on the big stage—it often makes for some of the most competitive and thrilling esports moments of all time. When that pillar starts to crumble, there's a very real risk the entire structure could collapse.

Solo queue suffering

TenZ ended his statement by venting about the state of ranked play, and how creating content around the game is far too difficult. Streamers must play on large delays to prevent stream sniping, which kills chat interaction. Once more, matches are being thrown for money or to help others climb to higher ranks, even though the climb is “ultimately pointless.”

The popular pro turned streamer said that ranked play lacks any kind of true incentive or rewards, and that he believes those who play aren’t excited, they’re just “addicted” and searching for the feeling they originally got when VALORANT first released. TenZ calls for Riot to create new rewards to push players to compete in the ranked grind, or to add new game modes that can allow for more creative, engaging, and high-energy content.

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