EnVy did it! They have become the VCT Americas Ascension champions, thus the slot of the major league in 2026 has been already secured for them. Confirming their Tier 2 scene as a long and arduous journey, they have still come down where the critters are in the VALORANT Champions Tour Americas league. The organization and the players are the ones who stand to benefit the most from this announcement, particularly considering the unexpected events and rumors that have surrounded the team and made them the center of attention.
This announcement was made in the usual way, but the community response has been quite enormous. The thrill of the players can be sensed strongly; others are skeptical, and there are countless discussions about some players and what this means for the future. It is the typical esports storm of chaos that we all love.
One of the most talked-about things related to this event has been the player Inspire. He has never had a good name, one comment even saying that he is “low-key kinda a prick for a while.” However, he seems to have changed his reputation, focusing on his game, and now the haters are quiet because he won the Ascension. “Inspire really did it, he is back after almost four years” was a remark made by one player. His tie with 100 Thieves is even hinted at, with one person saying, “All bro has to do now is to outshine 100t every time they play, they messed with him. Shit org anyway, I’ll still be cheering for him.” So yes, there is some history betwixt them, and it indeed seems that this triumph has been a huge redemption arc for him.
Nevertheless, the venturing up team does not have everything going their way. The ages of two players in EnVy’s squad has become one of the main points of discussion. It seems that they are younger than 18. One of the replies has indicated that a lot of the controversy arose out of the fact that there is a rule which states that players need to be at least 18 years of age in order to participate in the VCT Tier 1 league. Thus, even though EnVy got the slot, they might have to enter the major leagues without two key players who were part of the roster that took them there.
The community is trying to grasp the ramifications of this scenario. One person asked, “Wym without? Are both of them leaving for other teams?” The response was, “They don’t meet the age requirement of 18 for VCT tier 1.” This just fueled speculations more, with someone saying, “According to my sources, ENVY is considering an academy team, and they will be allowed to stay in Tier 2 until they turn 18.” It seems like a maze that the EnVy management will have to navigate quite a while before 2026. Winning the major promotion and possibly having to reconfigure your roster even before you get to play is truly a bizarre situation.
Definitely, you cannot have an esports discussion without some hating going on outright. The disbelievers are not uncommon. One user quite bluntly said, “They are going to fail so badly dude……” and another one took out a player making an unflattering comment about him, “Yuck, now we have to see this Ion kid play on stage 😭. Just think what a waste of a match.” Ouch. The community is very harsh in its criticism, but that’s just how it is. On the other hand, there is always a defender to every hater. One more person countered that “They scrimmed and beaten many good tier 1 teams like NRG and G2-ask any pro any coach who have played against them these players are the real deal.” No doubt, the debate on skill is very much alive.
The entire issue of age restrictions also sparked a bigger conversation over Riot’s regulations. One user who appeared to be really mad vented his/her criticism pointing out the inconsistency: “Great, so Ion can’t play even though the T2 teams that have 16/17 yr old players are in playoffs. Good stuff Riot, you never let us down.” It raises a very pertinent question regarding the fate of the young, talented players and how the rules are applied differently at various levels of competitions. Someone else offered, “It’s so that players who are still underage (or ones that just aren’t in tier 1) have a place to compete,” which does make sense from a growth perspective, but it certainly creates a tricky transition situation for a team that has just conquered everything.
So what does all this mean? EnVy has waved the golden ticket but the real task may just be beginning. They have a couple of years to sort out their roster problem if any, bring in new players, and get ready to tussle with the established powerhouses like NRG, and maybe even some PlayStation or Xbox esports teams.
