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Revenant Esports (RNT) recently welcomed another “Paradox” to their organization. After bidding adieu to True Rippers, the Valorant player will be representing RNT in the upcoming tournaments.
From being an avid CS: GO player to finally switching to Valorant, Kasif “Paradox” Sayyed began his esports journey in 2015. In conversation with Sportskeeda Epsorts’s Debolina Banerjee, he talked about his journey in gaming, his plans of almost joining Orangutan Esports, and more.
From CS: GO to Valorant, Paradox talks about journey in competitive gaming scene
Q. Tell us about how you started your journey in gaming. What made you feel that you had the capability of becoming a professional gamer?
Paradox: I used to play games since I was one and a half years old! These titles mainly belong to the racing, sports, and fighting genre.
I was not an avid fan of shooting games. I dived into the world of shooter games with CS (Counter-Strike): Source in 2008 but did not find it fascinating. Fast forward to 2012, and I started with CS 1.6 and CS: Condition Zero and finally switched to CS: Global Offensive (GO) in 2015.
I played my first-ever CS: GO tournament at the NVIDIA Respawn Cup in 2015 (Gear Up, Powai). With that, I was introduced to the world of professional gaming.
It ignited a competitive spark in me to become the best in India. In a few months or so, I thought I could be a good player, as being a Gold Nova, I was going toe to toe with some LEMs+ (Legendary Eagle Masters) ranked people.
Q. What are some ways via which the overall Indian esports scenario can be improved?
Paradox: The Indian esports ecosystem has been blooming a lot in recent times. The number of events and tournaments is at a record high.
My only request to the community is to act maturely to improve the esports ecosystem in India. They must respect the organizations, the players, and the teams. However, they can have some fun and banter.
Q. What do you feel contributed to the immense popularity of Valorant in India? Do you think the game’s mobile version will make it even more popular?
Paradox: Yes, I agree that including Valorant Mobile will make the game more popular, as mobile gaming is massive in India. Not everyone can afford a good gaming computer, whereas mobile games can be played and enjoyed on a mid-range phone. The ease of access will make the game more popular than ever.
Moreover, content creators of the mobile gaming industry have helped a lot with the immense popularity and growth of Valorant in India. The shooter was launched during a bitter-sweet period when PUBG Mobile was banned, and there were no competitors. At the time, the PC scene of CS: GO was already waning.
Q. Aside from Jett, which character is your favorite in Valorant? Which gun do you feel is the best for close-range fights in first-person shooter games?
Paradox: Aside from Jett, I feel Kay/O is the best. This character can make or break a round and bend the Valorant rules by literally implementing a no-ability zone in the whole map, which is the specialty of Valorant.
In my opinion, Spectre is a versatile weapon in Valorant for both close-quarter combat and medium-range fights. In CS: GO, I would go with the MP9, and in Apex Legends, I would choose the R99 SMG.
Q. You were part of True Rippers (TR) before joining Revenant Esports. What were some of your fondest memories as part of that team? What will you miss the most?
Paradox: TR’s core roster was formed with a group of friends who were playing well. As everyone was individually skilled, the sweetest memory from that roster is that we rarely practiced, and yet we would win games while trolling, which was a stress buster for us. I love everyone who was a part of TR at the time.
Q. You were about to join Orangutan Gaming (OG)/Enigma Gaming/Global Esports but decided to switch to Revenant Esports. What inspired you to make this decision?
Paradox: The deal with OG went haywire at the worst possible time, and I cannot blame anyone as it was unfortunate for everyone involved. After all that chaos, I was left with a few more offers.
I chose Revenant Esports as I saw a high potential untapped on this roster. I am sure that after my inclusion in the roster, we can achieve great heights with a proper amount of practice, patience, and execution.
Q. You have played in both domestic as well as international tournaments. Are Indian teams lacking somewhere when it comes to competitions that are being held abroad? What is the significant difference between the two?
Paradox: Indian teams currently lack exposure from international events, as we are not used to facing teams from other regions in APAC or other regions like EU, NA, LATAM, etc. The confidence factor also plays a crucial role in international tournaments, as I feel we do not lack the skills. We just lack the experience of global events.
The major difference between the two is that the competition in international tournaments is fiercer as you represent the whole region and the country’s name. You carry an entire nation’s expectations and hopes with you, so it feels nice as the ambiance there is very different. It is a feeling that cannot really be expressed.
Q. Are there any upcoming Valorant tournaments that you are looking forward to? What’s next on your cards?
Paradox: I have no idea! As of now, I am just trying to merge into the team, play into their structure, and wreak havoc on the server as much as possible.
Q. You also have a YouTube channel called Paradox that currently sits at 2.5K subscribers. Do you have any plans to grow it in the future? What kind of videos do you aspire to make?
Paradox: I rarely get time, but I usually stream during my free time. However, I am thinking of streaming as much as possible in the near future to increase my exposure to the public and showcase my skills in both the Indian and the international markets.
I also stream on Twitch sometimes under the username “paradox_dll.”
Q. As a professional Valorant player, what is your ultimate goal?
Paradox: My goal is to reach the finals of the Valorant Champions and become the champion. I want to stay at the apex of the food chain of the whole Valorant esports scenario.
It’s a long shot, honestly, but who has reached their destination without even trying? Aim for the moon; if you miss it, you may hit a star.
