Valorant Drama: Masters Bangkok Mouse Glitch

Riot Slammed After Zmjjkk's Mouse Issue in VALORANT Masters Bangkok

Technical issues in competitive VALORANT have sparked debate once again, this time during the match between EDward Gaming and Team Liquid at VALORANT Masters Bangkok. The spotlight fell on Chinese pro player Zheng "ZmjjKK" Yongkang, who had to swap his wireless mouse for a wired one due to ongoing PC glitches. Fans and players quickly voiced their concerns, questioning Riot Games’ handling of in-game technical difficulties during high-stakes matches.

Technical Glitches Disrupt Competitive Integrity

During the game, visible PC glitches disrupted Kangkang’s play, but despite the setback, he delivered an outstanding performance, boosting his team to secure the win. However, the situation left a sour taste among fans and fellow professionals. Many felt that such issues should not be happening at this level of competition, especially on stage.

Saif "Sayf" Jibraeel from Team Vitality, another participant in the tournament, was one of the most vocal critics. He pointed out that these technical issues seemed to arise only during official matches, not in practice sessions. Sayf called Riot’s temporary fixes, such as forcing players to switch to a wired mouse, unacceptable.

“This problem only occurs on stage, not in practice, yet their 'solutions'—like switching to a wired mouse—are unacceptable at this level. Players deserve transparency and fair conditions,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Ongoing Hardware Issues in VALORANT Esports

The Zmjjkk mouse situation isn’t the first time players have faced similar challenges. Evil Geniuses pro player Jacob "icy" Lange chimed in, recalling a similar experience at Masters Shanghai 2024, where he also had to switch to a wired mouse due to arena-related technical limitations.

Emil "eMIL" Sandgren, the former VALORANT head coach for Team Liquid, added further weight to the conversation. He cited an incident at Tokyo Masters where a timeout was called because RedgarI wasn’t allowed to adjust his monitor height. Likewise, Maks "kamyk" Rychlewski from Team Liquid stated that some tournament PCs struggle to handle more than 2,000 Hz polling rates, which shouldn’t be an issue at the highest level of play. These recurring problems highlight a major concern for Riot Games and the broader VALORANT esports scene—how can a game that relies so heavily on precision and reaction times be affected by hardware inconsistencies in its most crucial matches?

Riot Games Responds to the Controversy

Amid the backlash, Riot Games swiftly addressed the situation. Leo Faria, the global head of VALORANT Esports, took to X to acknowledge the problem and explain its root cause. According to him, the arena’s extensive technology setup affects signal stability, including mouse connectivity. He assured fans and players that Riot is actively working on a solution, and the wired mouse requirement is only a temporary fix.

While Riot Games’ response provides some clarity, it leaves lingering concerns about the future of competitive integrity. If signal interference is truly the cause, what steps will be taken to ensure it doesn’t persist in future tournaments? More importantly, will Riot implement permanent fixes before the next major event?

Will Riot Games Boost Stability for Pro Players?

The competitive VALORANT community is eager to see if Riot can boost hardware reliability on stage, ensuring players can compete under optimal conditions. The importance of fair play and technical stability cannot be understated in a game where split-second reactions determine victory or defeat.

For now, fans and professionals alike will be watching closely to see what measures Riot implements to prevent another Zmjjkk mouse situation. The hope is that players can focus solely on their gameplay rather than worrying about technical setbacks that could impact their rank or performance on the global stage.

As the VALORANT esports scene continues to evolve, ensuring a seamless and reliable competitive environment should remain a top priority for Riot Games. Time will tell whether these recent issues were just an unfortunate hiccup or a sign that deeper infrastructural changes are needed in the tournament setup.

 

GG Boost, the Best Elo Boosting Experience!