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Valorant observers are key to competitive matches and often provide viewers with the clarity they need. Having the freedom to cover each and every angle in the game, it falls on the observers' hands to determine the quality of the average viewer's visual experience.
A professional Valorant observer almost got into trouble recently for zooming in on the buttocks of in-game characters. While this was for the amusement of the viewers, Riot Games didn't seem too fond of the situation.
Observers in esports are tasked with controlling the players' POVs as well as a cinematic camera angle to provide the audience with the best possible experience. However, with a single map in Valorant ranging anywhere from 20 minutes to well over an hour, observers definitely have a difficult task at hand.
Valorant observer caught focusing on Agents' buttocks during VCT NA Challengers
Melanie “mel” Hoi-San Man is renowned in the observer community for her contributions to several Riot Games events, including VCT tournaments in EMEA, NA and SEA, as well as Game Changers events in EMEA and NA.
During the VCT 2022 Stage 2 NA Challengers and a few other live competitive fixtures, mel took it upon herself to amuse the viewers, albeit with some puzzling content.
During a tactical timout in the Sentinels vs NYFU matchup, the observers were seen panning the camera around each Agent, focusing on their crotch and buttocks. This was caught on the official VCT stream by several popular streamers as they reacted to it live.
Streamers Kyedae and Tarik were baffled by what they saw on screen, with the latter finding it to be amusing as well. Several other streamers like zombs, PROD and sinatraa also reacted to it live, all of them amazed by the official livestream's content.
However, in a recent Reddit AMA, mel confirmed to the game's community that Riot Games had informed her to tone down the constant exposure of Agents' buttocks during the live matches. She stated:
"I haven't "technically" gotten in trouble for the agents' butts during timeouts. But I have been told to avoid it in the future. Honestly I'm stupid and I shouldn't have even started it."
While Riot Games has advised Melanie against repeating her actions, the game's global community seems to have mixed reactions to the subject. A few members of r/ValorantCompetitive found the actions to be harmless and amusing, whereas some deemed it weird.
Another Reddit user, however, felt that Riot were being too hard on their restrictions, as they commented:
Several other users expressed their dissatisfaction with Riot's decision as well, with one such user being u/daffyduckferraro, who commented:
Match-phases like timeouts and buy-phases are often stagnant, with observers having little to no content to highlight. During this period, observers usually take viewers through a tour of the map, showcasing the unique cinematic mechanisms they use during the match.
Over the course of Valorant Champions Tour's short history, mel has climbed the ranks of professional observers, introducing several new perspectives for the game's audience to enjoy. While this recent incident does seem like a setback to her career, she continues to thrive as a reputed observer in Valorant esports.
