3 Takeaways from VCT Masters: Berlin

Valorant Masters Berlin has just ended, and CIS team Gambit has taken the trophy home. Along with crowning a new king in Valorant, there were plenty of entertaining storylines that have emerged between players and teams. The scene is as competitive as it has ever been, and leading up to the LCQs for every region the stakes have never been higher.

Before going into the next stage of VCT competition, here are three big takeaways from VCT Masters: Berlin.

3 Takeaways from VCT Masters: Berlin

1. Competition is Tight at the Top

Gambit may have put Envy away quite easily, but they are not invincible. 100 Thieves beat them in the group stage 2-1, taking more maps off them in three maps then Envy did in a best of five. Gambit has been pushed by Acend and G2 in Europe as well. Europe is a dogfight with great teams who didn't even make it to Berlin like Fnatic, Liquid and Na`Vi as well. NA has two favorites for the world championship already in Sentinels and Envy, with 100 Thieves or another NA team set to join them after the NA LCQ. There is no clear cut top team in Valorant right now, and the excitement for every match leading up to the world championship will be fun to watch.

2. TenZ Has Competition for Best in the World

Coming into Berlin, the general consensus was that TenZ was the best Valorant player alive. This notion was proven wrong quite quickly though, after Sentinels bowed out in the quarterfinals. This gave other teams a chance to let their players shine. In NA alone, 100 Thieves' Asuna was a walking highlight clip, alongside Envy's own Crashies and Food. In Europe, Acend's Cned is making his opponents quiver in the face of his Operator skill. The champion Gambit has their own budding superstar in nAts, a controller player known for showing little emotion, but a lot of gun skill. Even outside of Berlin competition, players like Seoldam and Scream are waiting in the wings to show what they can do on an international stage.

3. Asia Has a Long Way to Go

Coming into Valorant many believed it was only a matter of time until the Asian countries took over in another Riot game, but it has not happened yet. In fact, many of the Asian teams that have made it to international competition have simply flopped. In Iceland, Korean team Nuturn made some noise, but apart from that no Asian team has left the quarterfinals.