TenZ steps down from Valorant esports to focus on streaming

Fariha Bhatti Published 13/01/2021

Valorant pro Tyson “TenZ” Ngo will no longer be a part of Cloud9 Blue’s active roster. The star player has announced he is taking an indefinite leave from the game’s esports scene.

The 19-year-old spent seven months on Cloud9 Blue’s roster after being transferred from Cloud9’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive division. TenZ is set to remain under the Cloud9 umbrella, but as a streamer.

The original member of #C9BLUE @TenZ_CS has elected to step down from the team and competitive @PlayVALORANT to pursue content creation
Thank you for all you’ve contributed to Cloud9 competitively – time to watch you shine in content! pic.twitter.com/moppk8q8pW — Cloud9 (@Cloud9) January 12, 2021

Cloud9 released a video montage to bid farewell to its ace, in which TenZ specified that he wants to create more content. The Valorant pro clarified that stepping down from the professional roster was his personal choice as he wants to concentrate on his streaming career.

“I’m going to be stepping down from the Cloud9 Blue team to pursue content creation,” TenZ said in Cloud9 farewell video.

Valorant competitive play has started to gain traction, and TenZ stepping down comes as a surprise for the fans. Cloud9 Blue delivered sub-par performance across online tournaments, something that caused him to reconsider his career in Valorant despite the fact he consistently sits atop the North American Valorant Leaderboards. The team stumbled in significant tournaments like JBL Quantum Cup and First Strike: North America. Cloud9 secured mediocre finishes despite having a roster decorated with skilled players.

TenZ was one of the first notable players to quit CSGO to enter Valorant. His arrival launched a player exodus in CSGO scene, as more players moved to furnish Valorant esports. After being the first player to reach Radiant rank in North America, TenZ finished first in Elite Esports and Rivalry Bowl tournament.

Cloud9 streamer TenZ becomes first Valorant ranked player in NA

TenZ may return to competitive Valorant

Cloud9’s newly minted streamer will continue to follow the competitive scene even after his exit. The player has said he may return to competitive when “the time is right.”

Hope everyone can support me in this decision. During this time while I am off the team, I will be dedicating it towards my personal stream/YouTube to produce some more content. I’ll come back to competitive play when I see the time is right. Until next time everyone! https://t.co/PJb0ZUZ3RH
— TenZ / Tyson (C9) (@TenZ_CS) January 13, 2021

TenZ currently boasts about 700 followers on Twitch and has a stable viewer base. Despite a blooming following, the streamer hopes to make a comeback when Valorant esports scene has stabilized. It is uncertain if he is referring to larger prize pools, an introduction of live events, a transfer to another team, or possibly a return to CSGO. Regardless, TenZ has left a lasting impression on Valorant esports and remains one of the game’s top talents.

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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