It is like a battleground where the strongest voices have been silenced. The VALORANT esports community has experienced quite a tremor with the veteran commentator Doug Cortez announcing that he will not return to the game in 2026. The news came right from Cortez, who said that he could not come to an agreement with Riot Games for the next season and thus, had to part ways with the microphone that had been so important in the development of his career over the years.

Outrageous! Doug Cortez, the voice of the VCT’s most terrific clutches and the most lamentable losses, has just vanished. Such a dramatic and abrupt conclusion. His announcement was filled with gratitude and he even went so far as to tell that his relationship with VALORANT was “the best years of my life” while thanking the players for giving him “slow claps” and the fun times they had together. Nevertheless, the subtext is really loud and clear: the talks about the contract did not go well. And as for the players, they are totally upset. Not a bit, not at all.

The audience on the internet reacted immediately and, to be honest, they were somewhat harsh on Riot. The general sentiment in the comments is a confused mix of loathing and losing at the same time. The game player shouted ‘NOOOO WE LOVE U DOUG,’ totally reflecting the emotions of a larger crowd. Others were less dramatic and more direct in their expressing of discontent. ‘Riot keeps messing up,’ one person remarked. ‘Super common riot lose,’ another one declared. It is a complete change of mood from the usual hype, you know? People are really angry, and the thing is, it’s not only because of the disappearance of a familiar voice; it feels like a cycle.

Let’s make it clear: Doug was not the only famous person who recently resigned. The players made the connection very fast. One tweet read, ‘First Bala now Doug wtf is Rito Games doing.’ That’s in reference to another very popular caster, Balla, who also left the pro scene before. Another player moaned, ‘Lost Balla, Babybay, and now Doug.’ It is as if Riot is getting rid of the old-schoolers, the ones who were with them from day one, to cut costs, one fan’s concern was really put in a nutshell when he said ‘letting go of the OGs who supported them from the start.’ The theory that is being circulated is that it might be a money-saving tactic, one response even stated, ‘corporate probably wants to cut costs and the longer people work, the more expertise they have, the more they’re worth.’ Ouch. If that is the case, then it is a brutal business move for a community-driven industry.

On the flip side, not all were honoring Doug. We need to keep the scales balanced, right? One player threw down some very strong criticism, calling him ‘one of the worst casters imo,’ claiming that he had ‘little game knowledge’ and that it was pretty much simply disguised with big words, hinting at the fact that he would be more appropriate for tier 2 or 3. Such scorching criticism led to a tiny debate in the main comments, with some people rushing to either defend lower-tier referees or discussing the characteristics of a good commentator. It’s a difficult dialogue, but it shows that even in loss, the community is passionate and has opinions—which is one of the reasons for the continuous vibrant nature of esports.

Nevertheless, the personal tributes impacted more strongly. One player shared a video, stating that he would ‘never forget the first and the most iconic game you commented on. That became a core memory.’ That’s what really matters. Commentators are not just telling a story; they are the emotional soundscape of these digital gladiators’ fights. They create those ‘WHAT WAS THAT?!’ moments that linger on in highlight reels and memes. Doug had them. His call on Demon1’s play was specifically mentioned—’What was that’ – Doug commenting on Demon1 lives rent-free 🥶. That definitely is the mark of a great legacy.

So what are you going to say about 2026? The VCT Americas desk will have a… different sound to it. A player joked, ‘No more adjustable desks 😭,’ referring to Doug’s well-known liking. But the more important question is, who is going to bring that sort of energy? The speculations are already wild. Some think it is because of Babybay, who was previously Doug’s co-caster but is now a pro player, thus breaking their synergy. Others simply view it as another perplexing decision from Riot’s talent team, which one person labeled ‘weird’ without offering any further explanation.

It really is an odd feeling. One moment your voice was guiding the chaos and the next, a tweet was announcing its leaving. The community’s passion is evident across platforms like PlayStation and Xbox.