The Disturbing Truth Behind Allegations of Valorant Match Fixing
Valorant players are accused of throwing games with streamers and pro players in exchange for money, causing outrage among the community This unethical behavior undermines the integrity of the game and raises concerns about the prevalence of cheating in esports
Reports have surfaced that certain Valorant players were allegedly accepting payment in exchange for intentionally losing games with streamers. This reprehensible behavior has been met with widespread condemnation from the Valorant community. Since the game's launch, dedicated players have spent countless hours perfecting their skills and competing for the coveted Radiant rank. Occasionally, they cross paths with popular streamers and professional players, but while some simply focus on playing their best, others have attempted to gain an unfair advantage by targeting streamers in hopes of sabotaging their gameplay.
Several Valorant players have been accused of taking their competitiveness to an unethical level by throwing ranked games with streamers for financial gain. A screenshot from a Discord server shared by Valorant streamer Prod revealed that players had to snipe particular streamers, play on their team, and intentionally lose the game in exchange for cryptocurrency. Popular streamers like Kyedae and G2 player ShahZam were on the list, with a $50 bounty on their head. Prod claimed that this kind of behavior was why it was challenging for him to reach Radiant in Valorant. Kyedae expressed disappointment and sorrow over players who resort to cheating to earn money, while other fans denounced the players' actions, accusing them of intentionally ruining other people's games.
The act of purposely losing games, commonly known as "crypto throwing," is a persistent problem in the world of Valorant. Top streamers like Tarik and TenZ raised concerns about this issue as early as January, and it has only worsened since then. To combat stream snipers, some streamers have resorted to creating custom 10-man lobbies.
Despite the outcry from players, Riot Games has yet to address the problem directly. Many have called for the company to ban individuals who participate in this scheme. One potential solution could be the introduction of Valorant's Premier mode, which promises a structured league-play experience beyond regular ranked matches. This mode may reduce the likelihood of encountering stream snipers and throwers. However, it has just completed its beta phase, and its release date is unknown. Additionally, it is not meant to replace the ranked match experience.
Valorant is available now on PC.
