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"Absolutely Terrible Place" — TenZ Weighs in on Valorant Match-Fixing Investigations

As match-fixing investigations rise, VALORANT legend TenZ has commented on the state of NA VALORANT.

Gabby DeSena

SEOUL, KOREA - AUGUST 20: Tyson "TenZ" Ngo of Sentinels on stage with the trophy at VALORANT Champions Seoul Media Day at the LoL Park on August 20, 2024 in Seoul, Korea.
SEOUL, KOREA - AUGUST 20: Tyson "TenZ" Ngo of Sentinels on stage with the trophy at VALORANT Champions Seoul Media Day at the LoL Park on August 20, 2024 in Seoul, Korea. / Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

Competitive VALORANT faces fresh controversy as ongoing match-fixing and corruption investigations progress and affect the scene. Legendary pro Tyson "TenZ" Ngo has commented on Tier 2 NA VALORANT's state, saying it is an "absolutely terrible place." Let's explore TenZ's full statement and how it connects to the situation.

The State of NA Tier 2 VALORANT

Controversies in VALORANT's Tier 2 pro scene went viral this week after esports icon and ex-pro Sean Gares released an exposé video on X.com. In it, he alleged the circuit was "infected" with "match fixing, cheating, underground gambling rings, people making hundreds, thousands of dollars on these games that are rigged." He also claimed players were being blackmailed and bribed to throw matches since at least 2022.

Gares' video quickly went viral and received over 5 million views. He closed it by stating he would soon release a "f---ing banger" with "evidence" exposing specific teams and players. After the video, Esports Illustrated contacted Riot Games for comment, and the studio responded, confirming there is an active NA Challengers investigation and stating:

"Let us be clear: we take accusations like these extremely seriously and our Competitive Operations, Anti-Cheat, and Esports Rules & Compliance teams have been thoroughly examining the matter."

Related Article: Riot Games Responds to Sean Gares VALORANT Match-Fixing Video: Full Statement

TenZ Reacts

On May 18 2025, former Sentinels player and famous VALORANT athlete Tyson "TenZ" Ngo broke his silence on Tier 2 VALORANT's condition with a lengthy X.com post. TenZ began by calling
"the current state of NA VALORANT below the Tier 1 level [...] an absolutely terrible place." He also revealed he is not surprised match-fixing had occurred, since he believes Riot Games had not given Tier 2 athletes the financial and organizational support they needed:

"It's honestly not surprising that match-fixing for money eventually happened. These players are putting in all their time and energy to become the best, chasing their dream of making it big and joining a Tier 1 team. When that hope is lost, people may resort to accepting money to throw matches — and to be honest, that kind of money could be life-changing for them."

TenZ also defends the Tier 2 circuit, calling it a "crucial pillar of support for Tier 1 play" and warning that Tier 1 could collapse without it. He mentions, "It's incredibly exciting to see new underdog teams and rising talent perform on the big stage — it often makes for some of the most competitive and thrilling esports moments of all time."

TenZ closes by saying:

"It's genuinely depressing and disappointing to see Riot mishandle a game I truly love and care about (even if I criticize it a lot). I hope they come to realize that they need to support the entire competitive ecosystem — not just the very top. [...] I just want what’s best for the game — both at the top and everything beneath it. We, the players, need to see action — not just words."

TenZ's post has received nearly 2 million views and over 33,000 likes at the time of writing. Ngo's former Sentinels teammates Zekken and Reduxx replied in support, with Zekken saying "save the world" and Reduxx commenting "Goat has spoken, time to act." C9 neT, free agent ScrewFace, Omen expert Flexinja and content creator Grim also appeared to boost the message.

Further information is continually emerging on Riot Games' investigations, and Sean Gares' next video will likely release in the upcoming week.

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Gabby DeSena
GABBY DESENA

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