Shroud explains why pro teams should get Valorant skins, not streamers

Fariha Bhatti Published 07/06/2021

Streamers like Imane “Pokimane” Anys have requested their custom skins in Valorant but Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek doesn’t think it’s a good idea.

This former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player is now one of the most prominent names in the Valorant community but he still doesn’t think his custom skin should be added to the game. Instead, he’d like Riot Games to deliver esports in-game cosmetics.

Riot Games has actively been rolling out luxurious skins that are just as tasteful as they’re pricey. Riot has experimented with profound concepts, storylines, and themes, but custom skins are still a territory that developers haven’t explored yet. Most recently, Pokimane’s fan-made Vandal skin made the rounds on the internet and got the developer’s attention as well. However, Shroud turned down the idea of his custom skin when fans pressed him on Livestream.

“I don’t think Valorant should do that, as much as I’d love the skin. That’s entering like dangerous territory,” shroud said.

The streamer explained that it wouldn’t be easy to deliver custom cosmetics for all popular streamers, as hundreds of them play Valorant. The developer can test the waters by rolling out a few weapons and then closing that chapter forever. However, it’s practically not possible to release a streamer skin series.

“If you’re going to give content creator skins, you give a couple of them, and then you take it to the grave. Or you just don’t do it at all, because if you try to do it for everybody, you can’t win because it’s impossible to give it to every person,” shroud added.

Shroud has a better idea. The streamer recommended esports skins for Valorant, just like team stickers in CSGO. Plenty of streamers and professional players have previously expressed the wish to buy team gun buddies and skins in Valorant. Shroud stressed that team skins would do better in Valorant since even casual players are aware of official events due to in-game marketing.

“Team skins would work, though. They could easily do TSM FTX, Cloud 9, and shit like that,” he said.

Valorant’s esports scene is thriving in 2021, and a successful first LAN event has only added to the game’s success. Riot Games has previously promoted its official tournaments within the game and website, so it’s highly likely that it’ll take shroud’s recommendation into account. So, don’t be surprised if you see a Sentinels Vandal or Phantom in your Valorant store in the future.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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