Valorant World Champion BONECOLD Retires

World Champion BONECOLD Retires from Valorant Esports in 2024

Former Valorant World Champion BONECOLD, famous for his crucial role in Acend's historic World Champion title in 2021, has officially retired from competitive play after a lackluster run with Team Vitality throughout 2022 and 2023.

Acend, led by BONECOLD as their in-game leader, secured the prestigious Valorant Champions trophy in 2021, marking a significant milestone in the game's competitive history and boosting Acend’s rating to the very top of the competitive esports statistics. However, Acend's success faded away after the championship title, leading the team to disband. BONECOLD later joined Team Vitality, taking on an important role in a team that was full of promises and starting a new chapter in his professional career.

However, in contrast to his glory days with Acend, BONECOLD's performance with Team Vitality in 2022 and 2023 left much to be desired. The team did not deliver, and instead of becoming the “Valorant Dream Team” everyone expected them to, they ended up finishing at the bottom in the São Paulo kickoff event and settling for a 5/6th position in the VCT EMEA league, falling short of securing a spot in any international competitions.

With the start of the Valorant 2024 season, BONECOLD has chosen to retire, and although many organizations were willing to have BONECOLD as a boost to their roster, he ended up choosing not to seek a spot on another esports team. The announcement came via a heartfelt video posted on Twitter/X, where BONECOLD shared his insight into his personal journey and talked about his plans for the future.

"Today, I will be happily announcing my retirement from Valorant eSports," BONECOLD revealed. "After my successful last three years in this game, I feel like my motivation and focus should be on something else."

Although BONECOLD didn’t reveal any details about his exact plans post-retirement, he engaged with fans in a Twitch Q&A session soon after posting the video, allowing the Valorant community to understand his decision and take a peek into his thoughts on the competitive scene and life beyond it.

The Valorant community showed their full support for BONECOLD's decision, with analysts and casters showing their love and thanking him for his boost to the game’s dynamics and history. Ryan Central, an analyst, fondly recalled past moments, saying,

"The “you're officially the best IGL in the world now” discussion we had after the Champs finals still makes me laugh. All the best, buddy, sending my love, and excited to see where you go next!" Ever since BONECOLD left the organization, Team Vitality has found itself searching for a player who can live up to the legacy of the retired veteran, which will be no easy task.

BONECOLD had previously stepped away from the team at the beginning of the current year, leaving a vacancy in the roster that Vitality has not been able to fill yet.

As the Valorant community says goodbye to one of the best players in Valorant’s history, BONECOLD’s legacy will continue to stand as a testament to the player’s dedication to the gaming industry.

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