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The Valorant Conquerors Championship (VCC) is one of the biggest Esports tournaments in India. The performance of the team, God Particles, exceeded expectations. Being a team with no organizational support, they took down the defending champions, Global Esports, in the first Indian Qualifiers 2 Semi Final 2-1.
Garvit “EmbeR” Nehra is one of the members of God Particles who shifted to Valorant from CS:GO around five months ago. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’s Debolina Banerjee, EmbeR talks about his journey in the competitive world of gaming, the reason behind his shift to Valorant, his experience in VCC 2022, and more.
EmbeR on his VCC 2022 experience and Valorant journey
Q. Tell us about your journey in the Esports world. How has the scenario changed over the past two years?
EmbeR: I started competing professionally in CS:GO and played for God Particles. After Valorant launched, I played the game briefly from the start and took part in a few tournaments here and there. However, I went back to CS:GO. Around five months ago, I finally decided to switch to Valorant.
Over the past two years, the Esports landscape has changed a lot. Teams and players have improved, viewership numbers have skyrocketed, and organizations have stepped in. Compared to two years ago, the ecosystem is in a healthier state now.
Q. What influenced your decision to shift from CS: GO to Valorant?
EmbeR: I decided to switch from CS:GO to Valorant due to multiple factors. The competitive CS:GO scene was dwindling and only a few tournaments took place. Another reason for the switch was better competition and opportunities, both domestically and internationally.
Q. Given the current scenario of Indian Esports, were your parents supportive when you first wanted to take up competitive gaming as a profession?
EmbeR: My parents were skeptical in the beginning, but they understood that this is my passion and what I love doing. I am really grateful for their love and support.
Q. When did you first start playing video games and which ones were your favorite?
EmbeR: I have always been a gamer since I was 4 or 5 years old. It all started with old school mobile games, back when there were game cassettes. My favorite games were Contra and Battlefield. I also loved Call of Duty in the multiplayer genre.
Q. God Particles’ performance in the Valorant Conquerors Championship 2022 gave a beacon of hope to many underdog teams. What about the most memorable moment in the entire championship? Who did you consider to be the toughest competitor?
EmbeR: The most memorable moment was defeating Global Esports in the second qualifier. Winning against them felt so good, because for us it meant that we could go all the way. To be honest, the games against VLT, GE, Exploit, and Salt were all really tough games.
Q. You and your team recently joined the Valorant roster of Revenant Esports. What are your expectations and what are you looking forward to the most?
EmbeR: My expectations are to cement our position amongst the top four teams in South Asia. We also want to go head-to-head against teams like VLT, GE, Enigma, and ex-Exploit.
Q. Now that you and your team are finally under the support of an organization, how do you feel that it will improve your popularity/standing in the competitive Esports scenario?
EmbeR: The support that an organization like Revenant Esports provides will be a huge boost for us. I do not know about the popularity but organizational support will boost our standings in tournaments and the scene.
Q. A couple of companies have huge projects for the competitive scenario of Indian Valorant; Skyesports being one of them. Have you started preparing for the upcoming tournaments? Is there a particular strategy that you all are targeting?
EmbeR: Yes, we have started preparing for the upcoming tournaments. As a team, the strategy that we are employing is to work on the fundamentals from scratch. We want to be on the same page as much as possible during in-game situations.
Q. Since Valorant has its fair share of incredible professional players, both in India and abroad, who do you look up to the most?
EmbeR: I really look up to Amaterasu, rite2ace, HellrangeR in the Indian scene, and Xeppaa is one of my favorite players to watch and learn from overall.
Q. What are some tips and tricks that some aspiring professionals can take note of?
EmbeR: To be honest, there are no tips or tricks, there are no shortcuts. All you need is hard work, dedication, and perseverance. You have to improve every day and learn new things. If you slack off and get lazy, there are others who will take your place.
