Competing in VALORANT isn't just about winning for X10 CRIT's Thanamethk “Crws” Mahatthananuyut. It's about inspiring his region to take gaming seriously and fully invest in esports.
Although the X10 wasn't initially seen as a real competitor, it did exceptionally well at VCT Champions. Thailand's team beat Brazil's Keyd Stars and North America's Envy Team in the group stage before narrowly losing to EMEA's Gambit in the quarterfinals today.
“I hope that reaching the quarter-finals will make the stage bigger,” Crws said at a press conference after the defeat. Said. “The reason I'm here… and everyone else is here is just to prove we have something.”
Crwz hopes that his team's performance will pave the way for players from Southeast Asia. “If we can do it, they can do it too.”
Taking Gambit to an exciting third map in the VCT Champions quarterfinals has the potential to open new avenues for players and organizations in its region.
“There are very few people on our stage who would risk everything to play the game as a profession,” Crwz said. “Hopefully this is the start of a bigger esports scene in Southeast Asia.”
Although X10 has been eliminated from the tournament, VCT Champions will continue with the semi-finals on Saturday, December 11th. Gambit will face KRU Esports and Acend will face off against Team Liquid.