"We're identifying people feeling low, problems, whatever, and instantly putting out the fire" - valyn on being the leader of G2

There was no team that displayed regional dominance like G2 Esports.

Throughout the entire 2025 season, there was no other Americas team that could withstand G2’s stronghold on the region. They had the best player in each of their respective roles as they became the first team to qualify for VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Valorant Champions, purely for their consistency.

Staying strong at Champions Paris

Heading into VALORANT Champions Paris, G2 were seen as a contender for the title, and one of, if not the team to beat.

That all nearly came crashing down following their loss to Team Heretics in their opening match of the tournament, one that shocked G2's in-game leader Jacob "valyn" Batio.

“Losing the first game of this tournament was a bit of a weird process for us because we felt so ready for this tournament,” valyn said. “We felt like we weren’t going to lose. We got leaf back and everything was going our way.”

G2 Esports immediately dropped to the elimination match, where they would need to take down both Dragon Ranger Gaming and T1 to make it to the playoffs.

While the initial gut reaction after a loss would be geared towards extensive preparation and VOD review, G2 took a different approach.

“Honestly, we didn’t even really VOD review the mistakes of the match. It was mainly about keeping our mentality confident and just go forward no matter what.”

Instead of dwelling on their loss, G2 saw their opening match against Team Heretics for what it truly was: “just one loss”.

“We didn’t want to let one setback define our entire year,” valyn said. “Sometimes you just lose. Here at Champions with the best of the best, you’re gonna lose some games, and it’s all about how you finish. It’s about how you peak towards the end.”

Finally embracing pressure

Throughout their group stage run from that moment, valyn truthfully shared that “the tension” of being so close to elimination was still there. In fact, it was something he felt was healthy to have.

“I could feel the tension rising a little bit when we lost, but it was in a good way. It was a healthy feeling to have, and we didn’t really get into our heads about it.”

Viewing tension as a healthy feeling was something that didn’t initially come naturally to valyn. He highlighted his past reactions to any mistake before and how the frustration would get to him: “I used to be the main problem,” valyn shared. “I used to let small mistakes and details get to me and I would let that out in-game.”

As the leader of G2 Esports, valyn understands what is needed of him as a professional VALORANT player. Every matchday, valyn conducts his team meetings and gives his full attention to every media obligation that follows. It was when he walked into an arena that a full range of emotions came to the forefront.

Now, it’s been about embracing those emotions in a way that is productive.

“I present myself to my team and everybody in a very calm manner. But sometimes on stage, I get hyped, sometimes I get frustrated, especially in the past. All of these emotions get brought to me in-game, and it happens because you are that invested and you care,” valyn said. “I’ve learned that you always need to be productive no matter what. Whatever you’re feeling can’t have a negative impact on you at all on the server.”

A Better Leader Through Adversity

Valyn remembered specific points throughout their series against T1 and peeking over to see “frustration on their side." He remembered watching T1's IGL Kim "stax" Gu-taek “putting his hands on his chair and face” after difficult rounds.

These were the types of moments that valyn never wanted himself or his teammates to give up as an advantage.

“I told my team to rush him and make him have a bad game,” valyn said. “I don’t want to be that player that can be exploited like that, and I don’t want my teammates to be exploited either.”

That level of confidence was evident throughout their first map performance on Lotus as valyn stood atop the leaderboard, boasting a 1.48 Rating along with 21 kills.

That performance inspired his teammates to piece it all together on Corrode, where they finished the first half of map two with an 8-4 lead. While T1 had glimmers of hope throughout map two, G2’s mental resilience shone bright as the team closed the series out in 2-0 fashion.

“We've been on one mission here, and we're identifying people feeling low, problems, whatever, and instantly putting out the fire,” valyn said. “It's been an amazing journey playing this game right now with this team, and I'm so grateful.”

Now, valyn is heading into VALORANT Champions Paris playoffs as both a better player and a leader as he aims for his first international title.

“I’m really there for them better than ever,” valyn shared. “I’m giving them pep talks when I can feel they are down. We just know a lot about each other, and I’m putting all that knowledge I have of the boys in a space to help them feel better when they are down.”

Embracing the Moment

Heading into the playoffs, valyn is ready to embrace everything that comes with being one of the best leaders in the world. It’s the reason why he plans to do whatever it takes to enjoy the moment for everything it has to offer, whether people enjoy it or not.

“The game feels so fun. We're just standing up and having fun. Some people hate it. Some people love it. I'm just trying to be a showman, and I'm trying to express myself on stage. So if you love me or hate me, I don't care, I'm gonna still keep going, and the boys are gonna still keep going.”

The VALORANT Champions playoffs will begin on September 25, 2025, where the top eight teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket for a chance to advance to the Grand Finals.

Featured image via Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games