Anyone else watch VCT without playing Valorant?

#1

XavierEXE

I'm curious if there's anyone else on vlr who follows valorant as an esport without playing the game! Are there other people who're drawn to watching the game like I was, or am I mostly an outlier?

I've been watching valorant purely as a spectator sport since 2021, and initially got hooked by watching KRU upset SEN in groups at that year's champions (It was the first match of valorant I watched!). I gave the game a shot because I had been a longtime fan of the overwatch league and kinda followed my favourite casters as they switched games. I read all the patch notes (Why did they have to take the info away from Vyse's flash mannn), I've been a Gambit lover (I miss M3C :c ) and a Fnatic glazer and a perennial FNS hater, I popped the hell off when Kadoom finally came online in OT on Bind for MiTH and upset Sen at the soop tournament in 2024, I watched the 21-19 EDG vs Northeption game live in 2022 and then crashed out when EDG fumbled the bag against TL two matches later, and I've been a huge fan of TH but refused to watch the tournament they actually won!

I've also never installed Valorant, or even played any tact fps. I'm a main tank and main support player in overwatch (D3), and a dr strange otp in rivals (GM3), which probably says enough about my lack of mechanics. I would SUCK at this game.

VLR, am I a freak for watching this game for fun while not playing it, the same way lots of people watch regular sports? Lmao

#2

themaniel

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I would not play this game if I couldn't play it with friends ngl

so kinda

#13

XavierEXE

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I honestly should give the game a shot with friends sometime. I think it would be fun even to just run around the maps and see everything properly for myself, and if I'm only playing stuff like swiftplay with a group I trust I think it would take a lot of the pressure off that's kept me from trying it until now. Most of my friends play other competitive games though, or used to play valorant but have since quit. The new all-random one-site mode seems like it would be really fun to mess around in!

#3

sophiewatchesvct

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I’ve never played Valorant in my life

#10

XavierEXE

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What caught your eye that made you want to watch the game despite having never played it? I started watching mainly for the energy after having such an impactful match be my first watch, and because Sideshow and Bren (and later, Achilios) kinda introduced it to me by switching from OW. Plat Chat starting a valorant spin off and then costreaming champs was the gateway drug for me

#20

sophiewatchesvct

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I knew someone who watched vct

#4

Tempest24

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I deleted the game last month so..

#5

toidinami

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I quit playing games at all 2 years ago and im still heavily invested in watching the tournaments. And while I used to play valorant I also watched cs before and I never played that game except a couple times with friends.

#11

XavierEXE

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Getting involved in a scene through friends first makes a lot of sense! I watched worlds for the first time this year knowing incredibly little about league just because I have friends who are really passionate about it, and getting to hear them gush about all the nuance in the matches that I was initially missing was really fun.

What VCT team are you most excited to see in kickoff? I'm personally really excited to watch how well Leviatan comes together once Neon is able to play.

#6

glittering_yard

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No one plays this game, we only watch VCT as an anime

#12

XavierEXE

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Can't wait for the script writers to have TH get 2nd and C9 not make an international again, how original

AND FLASHBACK LEAVING DRX AGAIN. APPARENTLY.

#17

9wntr

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he retired

#19

XavierEXE

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Yeah nothing against the guy, retiring is probably better for both him and DRX than him struggling mentally and going in and out so often, it's just funny how many times we've seen -flashback +flashback

#7

Kalina

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I haven't played the game in like 1-2 years now.

Switched off windows and can't play Val on linux. Doesn't feel like I'm missing much tbh.

#9

seven_glazer

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kinda wanna switch to linux but arc raiders has been fun

i hope someday they get rid of the kernel anticheat shit and learn from overwatch

#8

Anguibok

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I feel the closest to belong to this cathégorie is me even if thats not 100% true. I do this your case mightbe unique

#14

passosfp

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i just play yet cause im low elo and play with friends so im have funing yet

#15

Jayde

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Well am just not playing atm does that count?

#16

Teunoin

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i mean i used to, but i like the game and strategical parts so i also started playing, too bad im not that good yet, but i love the overall strategy bc its basically like some really advanced chess-esque

#18

PP12123213123

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I haven't played Valorant since graduating. Arcrider or MonHun are better games to play with friends

#21

tua

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I love val. I play everyday

#22

foythvlr

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used to but came back to playing it recently

#23

Yanko

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Never played it 😁