VALORANT Esports: NRG’s crashies Criticizes the Repetitive Harbor Meta
VCT Masters Tokyo continues to showcase the messy and repetitive nature of VALORANT esports. The double-controller meta, known as the Harbor meta, remains the dominant strategy in the competitive scene. However, NRG’s Austin “crashies” Roberts expressed his dissatisfaction with this meta.
The match between T1 and NRG in Group A was incredibly close and showcased the skills of the rising South Korean roster against one of North America’s top VALORANT teams.
During a post-match interview on June 13, crashies criticized the prevailing VALORANT meta, labeling it as “boring.” Despite his dislike for the meta, it doesn’t significantly impact his playstyle as an initiator.
“It’s alright… I think this Harbor meta is a little boring, to be honest,” crashies said.
In the esports side of competitive games like VALORANT, teams often overuse powerful strategies, leading to repetitive gameplay. This is a common occurrence in the scene.
Before Patch 5.12, Chamber was a must-pick for every esports team on every map. This resulted in a stale sentinel meta, overshadowing other agents like Cypher and Killjoy.
Crashies, however, preferred Chamber’s dominance over the Harbor meta. He appreciated the strategic aspect of the game when facing Chamber. “At least with Chamber meta, you had to push the OP back a lot. You had to be a lot more strategical in how you play the game,” he explained.
Crashies, known for his clutch plays, is an initiator main and frequently plays Skye or Sova, occasionally opting for Killjoy. He has been recognized as the world’s best initiator in multiple occasions.
While crashies may not be affected by the repetitive Harbor meta, it has become hard to watch for some fans. Strategies like the ‘pizza slice’ can make it challenging for the audience to understand what’s happening in matches.
Related: How to use Viper and Harbor together in VALORANT: The pizza slice strategy explained
As crashies mentioned, spamming through smokes doesn’t require much strategic execution and relies more on luck. VALORANT was advertised as a tactically intense and precise shooter, and these trends can undermine the core experience of the game.
Fortunately, Riot Games has already taken the Harbor-Viper duo and Phantom spam trends into account and implemented significant nerfs in Patch 6.11.
Although VCT Masters Tokyo is played on Patch 6.10, the professional scene is expected to transition to the new update in future tournaments, potentially putting an end to the tiring meta.
NRG’s victory secures them a spot in the playoffs for VCT Masters Tokyo, with the next stage beginning on June 16.