Before the start of the 2026 VCT season, the official Valorant Esports Twitter account asked the French team Gentle Mates if they could possibly win at the beginning of the year. The post sparked an immediate and deep-seated debate among the players in the community, revealing the high tensions and mixed reactions that were inseparable from the team’s roster changes and the question of competitiveness.
So here we are again at the Valorant Tour of Champions, and even before it begins, the official account is stirring the pot. They literally just tweeted to Gentle Mates: “Are you going to win your first match?” which can come across as a somewhat provocative question. And the responses were really very loud and clear. It seems they have messed up a hornet’s nest with a very French baguette. The moods are really mixed-up: on one side, the most loyal fans of M8 are shouting #M8WIN and spreading green heart emojis everywhere, while on the other side, there are players and even professionals from rival teams saying “nah, they are trash” without any hesitation. This is exactly esport drama, and we are all for it.
Let’s take a look at the whole situation because it surely is a mess, but a nice one. The first group to analyze is the die-hard fanatics. The accounts like @M8_ENZOO and @wolfyney are all for it, the former declares “WE ARE #M8WIN” and the latter “Of course we are.” They are bringing the green hearts and the snake emojis, which seem to be the team’s things. It is pure, unadulterated hype. But… then you look at the other side of the coin. FUT Esports’ main account, @FUTesportsgg, responded in a very rude manner with, “It wasn’t a curse at all 😫,” that sounds like a major side-eye possibly referencing a past match or a rivalry. Even more openly, a player called FUT RaGe just locked his post with a GIF of a man shaking his head “no.” Ouch. The disrespect is really palpable and it is from the very house of competition.
The chaotic middle is where the rumors are. One response from a fan, @xElevenNn, is right on the money: “After having changed the team 30 times maybe a victory.” OOF. That is the main argument, right? Gentle Mates is known for regular player shake-ups. Gamers are not so sure if a team can find its groove while the parts are always being rearranged. Another user, @m8JefreyEpstein, whined about the match-up being a lucky one, with Gentle Mates getting a “weak” FUT Esports while other teams that have already qualified for the playoffs are facing even tougher first rounds. Thus, it is not only about the skill but also about the schedule’s perceived fairness. People start making excuses or discrediting possible victories even before a single bullet has been fired. That’s how you know the stakes are high.
How did I get here? Oh yes, the human drama. Numbers and rosters do not tell the whole story. You find players like RaGe and one JLdimi having a whole chat in the replies about streaming and going to Germany for the arena. It is those little peeks behind the curtain that make esports feel so real. The gamers are not merely images with their tags on the screen; they are actual people who travel from one European country to another just to compete, and doing that while at the same time streaming to the fans and getting ready for the big matches. SEN Mest even joined in with a quip saying that the community manager’s job was to “put out fires,” which considering the heated replies could actually be a full-time job.
What then does it indicate as we quickly come near to VCT 2026? This one tweet is like a mirror image that reflects the current esports world perfectly. It has the thrill and the doubt, the attachment and the rivalry, all blended in 280 characters or less. For gamers, the new season is a clean page but the previous year’s baggage – the roster changes, the hard fights lost, the close victories – they all trail behind you. The audience is always there to remind you. Gentle Mates is not only looking for a win in their first match; they are trying to silence the critics, be the cause of their loyal fans’ happiness, and prove that their approach, no matter how chaotic it might seem, is effective. However, the fact remains that whether they start with a W or an L, it is one thing that cannot be denied: all eyes will be on them, and everyone will have something to say. The 2026 season has already started with all the expected drama, and honestly, we would not want it any other way. The PlayStation and Xbox platforms continue to be major players in the broader gaming landscape.
