'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The popularity of Valorant is increasing with every passing day and its latest update is the talk of the FPS town. India has its fair share of Esports professionals who enjoy Riot’s flagship title and one of them is surely Amit “fa2” Thakur.
"fa2" is not only a professional gamer but also a content creator on YouTube with a subscriber count of 100K. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’ Debolina Banerjee, fa2 talks about his love for Valorant, his early gaming days, and more.
fa2's Valorant journey
Q. Hello Amit! Tell us about your journey of being a YouTube streamer. What struggles did you have to overcome during your initial days?
Since I am from Delhi, I got to witness the emerging era of Indian gaming. I used to play in a café, both during the days and nights. I used to enjoy it with friends who were budding streamers at that time, it made me understand the streaming audience of India as they suggested. When I started streaming, the audience liked my persona!
Q. India is filled with people who do not take the idea of content creation seriously. Did you have a hard time convincing your parents or were they supportive from the beginning?
My parents were supportive from the very beginning. Even now my mumma watches my vlogs and tells me what I should do next. I know most parents are not familiar with the content creation ecosystem, but now is the time to be aware of it!
Q. Your username and the name of your channel is fa2. What is the significance of this unique moniker?
It is a funny story and I am not sure if the story behind my name will inspire someone or not (*laughs*). My first crush used to call me “Faadu”, and my friends changed the word “Faadu” to fa2 (*laughs*).
Q. The Valorant esports scene in India has seen quite a growth in the last year. What is your take on the Indian competitive scene of the FPS game? Are there any Indian players/teams that you look up to?
I’m happy watching this scene grow this much after what happened with CS:GO in India, I hope it goes on like this.
Velocity Gaming and Global Esports. The players that I look up to are Anuj “Amaterasu” Sharma and Ganesh "SkRossi" Gangadhar.
Q. You are part of one of the best Valorant teams in the Indian gaming community, Velocity Gaming. What is the best aspect about being a part of such a renowned team?
Joining Velocity was one of the decisions that I made. I am quite proud of it and the fans have been very supportive. From team members to management, everyone here feels like a family. You need a vibe to create content and reach out to people with a similar mindset.
Q. You used to stream CS:GO on YouTube when you first started off. What made you switch to Valorant? What is one major difference between the gameplay of the two titles that you have noticed?
The enthusiasm of the audience when CS:GO pros shifted to Valorant made me consider trying this game. At first, it was a bit odd for me to play Valorant but now I have become used to it. I think it is one of the best FPS games and Riot being the publisher is going all-in with those events and new collabs!
Q. Aside from gaming videos, your YouTube channel also has vlogs and the latest one was uploaded over a month ago. Can your viewers expect similar videos?
Vlogs are fun to shoot and watch and I love to travel. So why should I not show my audience what to do and what not to in those situations that we face while traveling! This year I have planned a few vlogs which will surely entertain the audience and will help me grab a new audience as well!
Q. Now that the Valorant update is here, what are the best features that you love?
I liked the changes in maps, new meta, new Killfeed and User Interface. The addition of new agents is working well till now, and I hope Riot keeps on brainstorming to decide what is next for Valorant.
Q. The Valorant community is excited about Chamber. What are your thoughts about the new character?
I have played on stream and in some ranked games as well, so I’ll just say if your aim game is strong then use the agent to the best of its ability!
Q. You are associated with a popular marketing agency called Alpha Zegus. What are some of the benefits that you enjoy?
One of the reasons why I am doing great as a streamer and as a creator is because of Alpha Zegus. They bring in new and exciting projects for me which we brainstorm and deliver to the audience. From scratch to a good quality video, they are masters when it comes to planning good projects for their streamers.
Q. Your YouTube channel currently has 112K subscribers and the number is growing with every passing day. How do you plan on expanding the channel? Do you think variation is a necessity when it comes to becoming popular?
I never worried about numbers, to be honest. I just want to be relevant to the community and my audience, so I will upload videos that they like. Be it vlogs, new games, campaigns, I am all-in for them.
Exploring new audiences is necessary, so keep playing new games, and maybe you might find your favorite one!
Q. India has its fair share of aspiring video game streamers. What are your tips and tricks for becoming a successful content creator/streamer?
Just keep your audience happy and never force content on them. Experiment with what you love, as in the end that is what matters.
