Founder of 100 Thieves, Nadeshot, Opens Up About Struggles in Transition to VALORANT
Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag, a legendary player in the Call of Duty community and the founder of esports organization 100 Thieves, recently shared his frustrations with the transition from controller to mouse and keyboard in his journey through VALORANT. In a lengthy Twitter thread on October 1, he expressed his struggles with consistency and raised questions about whether his age was affecting his in-game performance.
The Challenges of Transitioning from Controller to Mouse and Keyboard
Despite investing a significant amount of time in VALORANT, Nadeshot admitted that his mouse control hasn’t improved as much as he anticipated. He described certain days where he feels comfortable and precise, but on others, it feels like he’s never used a mouse before. This inconsistency has led him to wonder if there is a limit to his performance due to his age.
The feedback from Nadeshot’s post was overwhelming, with professional players from various genres and titles sharing their advice. Notable responses came from Apex Legends pro Christopher “sweetdreams” Sexton and Sentinels VALORANT star Zachary “zekken” Patrone. However, the most valuable advice came from Complexity Counter-Strike pro Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski.
EliGE emphasized the importance of aim training and debunked the notion that age plays a significant role in performance. According to him, consistent improvement lies in efficient and focused practice. While a strong aim is important in tacFPS (tactical first-person shooter) games, decision making and positioning oneself for favorable fights contribute most to progress.
Eliminating Inconsistency through Focused Practice
There are many theories on how to address inconsistency in gameplay, but they ultimately boil down to two key concepts: focused practice and raising the skill floor. Inconsistency often stems from a lack of fundamental skills, rather than a lack of talent or ability.
Making the switch from controller to mouse and keyboard can be challenging. Losing the aim assist provided by controller-centric games can feel daunting, and hitting precise shots and executing advanced movements without muscle memory on a keyboard can be frustrating. However, with dedicated practice, it is possible to excel in first-person shooters, even at an older age, regardless of whether you are the founder of a prominent esports organization like Nadeshot.
Nadeshot, VALORANT, esports, Call of Duty, mouse and keyboard, aim training, inconsistency, first-person shooters, controller, skill floor