The eighth annual Esports Awards brought together many of the best players, content creators, and teams across esports to celebrate the best. As it turned out, plenty of awards involved VALORANT, as either players, coaches, or developers won some of the largest awards of the event.
Fitting for the victors of Champions 2023, Evil Geniuses took two different Esports Awards home, while one popular analyst won Desk Analyst of the Year. However, it all culminated when VALORANT won Esports Game of the Year, over strong contenders like League of Legends, CS:GO, and Call of Duty.
Evil Geniuses win two VALORANT awards
Despite all the uncertainty around Evil Geniuses, their rise from the bottom of franchised team power rankings to world champions was an entertaining storyline to follow all of 2023. The two key reasons behind this expectation-defying season were their head coach, Christine “potter” Chi, and their rookie star, Max “Demon1” Mazanov.
Both were nominated for Esports Awards, with Demon1 as both Breakthrough Player of the Year and PC Player of the Year. Potter was only for Coach of the Year, and she ended up winning. Demon1 only won Breakthrough Player of the Year. Evil Geniuses were also nominated for Esports Team of the Year for their VALORANT play, but lost to T1 and their special year in League of Legends.
VALORANT gains attention with other award wins
Alongside the notable Esports Game of the Year victory, two other awards linked to key members of the VALORANT community showed that it wasn’t just the players themselves that had a good year. Riot Games collectively won Esports Publisher of the Year, though it has two different major esports in VALORANT and League of Legends to point to.
Then, one of the biggest online personalities across games like VALORANT, Teamfight Tactics, and more, won Esports Personality of the Year after notably sinking a lot of money to make his own VALORANT team and watch them try and make franchising. Disguised Toast’s journey as the leader of the esports team Disguised is a journey that has not yet ended, though it began in the doldrums of tier two VALORANT.
Last but not least, one of the best desk analysts in esports grew in popularity by explaining VALORANT to fans in 2023, and she got her flowers with the Esports Desk Analyst of the Year award. We’re talking about Mimi “aEvilcat” Wermcrantz, who primarily cast VALORANT as a key member of the desk across the Americas League and international competition.
So, out of the large group of awards, people immensely involved in VALORANT got their recognition live in Las Vegas. Considering how the year ended in such an entertaining fashion, it’s fitting that the game and the significant figures that make it so exciting to watch got what they deserved.
