Despite the fact that the Valorant discipline is still quite young—the game officially launched in 2020 and its esports scene is even younger—there are already instances where notable players have ended their professional careers in this game. Many players have already ceased their professional activities in Valorant, switching to other disciplines or professions. This article will discuss such players.
Santeri "BONECOLD" Sassi
The case of Santeri "BONECOLD" Sassi's retirement can be called the most significant, not in terms of media attention, as the player did not have a large fan base. However, he is the only Valorant professional who achieved the greatest success in the game, winning the world championship (Valorant Champions 2021) with team Acend, before parting ways with the game. In 2024, he announced that he had lost the desire and motivation to spend so much time on the game, thus declaring the end of his professional career. It's likely that his decision was influenced by Team Vitality, his last team, benching him, but perhaps it was by his own desire.
Óscar "mixwell" Cañellas
A legend in two disciplines - Counter-Strike and Valorant - Oscar "mixwell" Cañellas surprised his fans and followers of Team Heretics by announcing his retirement from professional play during the 2023 off-season. His career started in 2012, and he spent 11 years across the two disciplines. During this period, he managed to win over $323,000, with $78,000 won in Valorant. His most significant achievements were participating in two Masters tournaments: VCT 2021: Stage 3 Masters - Berlin and VCT 2022: Stage 1 Masters - Reykjavík. His more successful tournament was in Berlin where he competed for G2 Esports and took 3-4th place, earning $85,000.
Pujan "FNS" Mehta
Pujan "FNS" Mehta, who participated in the world championship from 2021 to 2023, becoming a silver medalist and a Masters series tournament winner, announced at least a pause in his professional career and a shift to focus on live streaming, subsequently joining G2 Esports as a streamer and content creator. Considering his age - 3 - and the duration of his career, which began with Counter-Strike in 2012, it is unlikely that he will participate at a high professional level in Valorant again.
Emir "rhyme" Muminovic
In 2023, twenty-five-year-old Emir "rhyme" Muminovic announced his departure from the Giants team, where he was the in-game leader and captain. This decision was made due to a desire to change his further development and focus on education. The player started his career in 2020 and in three years managed to represent top organisations such as Ninjas in Pyjamas, Gen.G Esports, FunPlus Phoenix, and Giants. His most significant achievement was reaching Valorant Champions 2023, where he and Giants finished 9-12th. Throughout his career, Rhyme earned prize money totalling over $25,000.
Nabil "Nivera" Benrlitom
The young twenty-two-year-old player Nabil "Nivera" Benrlitom started his career in 2021 but announced his retirement in 2024. He decided to return to Counter-Strike, the discipline he transitioned from to the Riot Games shooter. Although his path in this discipline was quite short, he managed to qualify with his team for prestigious tournaments such as Valorant Champions 2021 and Valorant Champions 2022. He played for clubs such as Team Liquid and Karmine Corp, earning more than $40,000 in prize money throughout his journey.
Rory "dephh" Jackson
Rory "dephh" Jackson participated in Valorant Champions 2022, where his team XSET finished 5-6th thanks to his leadership skills and good teammates. However, after the introduction of the partnership league, things did not go well for the player. He joined another American organisation, Sentinels, where he had a less successful season and announced the end of his professional career. Throughout his career, he won more than $47,000 in prize money.
Jordan "AYRIN" He
The fate of Jordan "AYRIN" He is somewhat similar to that of Rory "dephh" Jackson, as they played under the same tag, XSET, for a long time and achieved the same heights. Although the end of their professional careers occurred in different teams, their fate was maximally similar, with AYRIN having an unsuccessful season in the Global Esports partner league and deciding to end his player activities.
Julia "juliano" Kiran and Maryam "Mary" Maher
Two world champions, Julia "juliano" Kiran and Maryam "Mary" Maher from the G2 Gozen team, announced the end of their professional careers in 2023 within a six-month interval. Despite their team winning the world championship in 2022 and successfully competing in the 2023 season, they were the main contenders for one of the two slots from Europe at the VALORANT Champions Tour 2023: Game Changers Championship.
Son "xeta" Seon-ho
A few months ago, the Valorant esports scene lost another player—Son "xeta" Seon-ho. After four years, he decided to end his professional career. He was a two-time participant in Valorant Champions, and his total prize winnings exceeded $56,000.
Although these players have already ended their professional careers in Valorant, their influence, achievements, and game moments continue to live in the hearts of players. They played a significant role in shaping and developing the game in its early stages, and their names will always be associated with the world of esports. Visit the "News" - "Articles" tab to find even more interesting materials from the world of Valorant and Counter-Strike 2.
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