A new drama has been brewing in Valorant esports after Sentinels’ Controller Jared “zombs” Gitlin called the region of Brazil.
Shahzeb “ShahZaM” Khanmade’s recent tweet referencing a 15-minute long pause during the game between FURIA and Sentinels has ruffled many feathers. However, Zombs’ remarks about the Brazilian region have an entire fanbase after his head.
Brazilian teams competing for the ultimate championship in Valorant have found themselves under the spotlight after both technical and in-game issues at VCT. Vivo Keyd and FURIA were involved in tech-related problems, which has triggered drama between the North American and Brazilian regions.
ShahZam’s tweet was about the FURIA versus Sentinel game where a 15-minute tech pause had broken the Brazilian’s momentum at 10-12, resulting in what might have been an easier match point for Sentinels. Team Vikings found themselves in a similar close-game situation against Gambit, which they ultimately lost. The fanbase didn’t quite get the light-hearted tweet, especially in light of recent events where another Brazilian team got kicked to the lower bracket after taking advantage of a bug.
The situation got messy soon after. Many Counter-Strike: Global Offensive professional players and personalities jumped into the conversation, which continued to deteriorate. zombs’ recent remarks only added fuel to the fire, as more personalities, including co-owner of FURIA, requested Riot to take action.
CSGO legend Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo also criticized zombs‘ tweet, drawing more attention to the drama. Since then, zombs has been trending on Twitter as fans push Riot to deliver an apology. It’s worth noting that a harsh response by Brazilian fans had recently overturned Riot’s decision to push Vivo Keyd into the lower bracket.
For now, Riot Games hasn’t responded to the community beef. It’s unlikely that the developer would release an official statement on the dramas and since such feuds are to be expected in esports. Tweets and internet banter isn’t anything new and is often taken with a grain of salt, but some in the Brazilian fanbase are known for unyielding passion that can sometimes go a little too far.
Whatever the case, the rumors and drama around VCT have split the fanbase into two, making this championship a controversial one.
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