100 Thieves’ Rebuilding Mode: Can They Rise to Success in VALORANT?
Last week, 100 Thieves shook up its VALORANT team by signing CS:GO star Nick “nitr0” Cannella and parting ways with its former PUBG pros. Led by captain Spencer “Hiko” Martin, the team is now in rebuilding mode with high expectations.
With major changes to the roster, 100 Thieves’ VALORANT team becomes one of the most exciting storylines in the scene. Starting with disappointment, they will journey through change and growth, and hopefully achieve success. All eyes are on them.
However, their competitive debut faced challenges as they failed to advance past the group stage in the FaZe Clan and PAX Arena Invitationals. According to Hiko, the team didn’t gel well and the results reflected that.
The early struggles were attributed to a lack of consideration for individual playstyles. The focus was primarily on agent combinations and lineups, which prevented them from achieving the consistency needed to succeed at the professional level.
The arrival of nitr0 in the VALORANT scene came at the perfect time. Initially planning to continue his CS:GO career, nitr0 found himself drawn to Riot’s tactical shooter due to the freedom it offered. He made the decision to switch when the right opportunities didn’t arise.
With nitr0’s signing, the team chemistry is strong. Hiko and nitr0 have played together on Team Liquid for a year and a half and have always gotten along. Additionally, nitr0’s role as an in-game leader takes a significant burden off the team’s shoulders, making his addition even more valuable.
Building a team around two esteemed veterans provides a solid foundation. While 100 Thieves is in talks with potential signings, Hiko and nitr0 are taking a cautious approach to ensure the roster is carefully constructed for optimum performance.
“We are definitely taking things slower because we want to be a winning team. We need to be a winning team, and we’re going to take as much time as we reasonably can to ensure we have a roster that can perform at the highest level,” Hiko said.
Both players are flexible and willing to adjust their playstyles depending on the other signings. Nitr0 expects to play a supporting role, but is also practicing with the Operator. Hiko sees himself either as an aggressive fragger or a supportive player, depending on the team’s needs.
When looking for additional players, nitr0 believes it would be ignorant to solely focus on CS players. The team is seeking players who fit certain roles and possess good communication skills and a positive attitude. Long-term success hinges on these intangibles.
While there is no specific timeline for completing the revamped roster, 100 Thieves’ story is far from over. With two seasoned FPS veterans and a pool of talented players to choose from, they have the potential to rise to success in VALORANT.
100 Thieves, VALORANT, CS:GO, PUBG, esports