As I looked back on the last 7 years, I realized that i was disappointed. I still remember the major like it was yesterday.
DreamHack Winter 2013…
That group stage was easy.
"Looks like Natus Vincere weren't able to overcome znajder when he stepped up in JW's place. Match to Fnatic."
"JW AND FLUSHA CLUTCH THE 2V5. Clan Mystik have met their match and Fnatic will move on to the playoffs."
The playoffs weren't easy, but we managed.
"JW and flusha stepped up with at least 11 more kills than deaths each. How will Recursive respond in map 2?"
"KennyS pulling through for Recursive with a 2.0 KDR. JW was getting dominated that game. On to map 3.
"JW absolutely destroying Recursive in that 1v3. Fnatic will now move on to the semifinals."
Playing against Complexity was unusually easy. I may not have done well the first game but I went off the next, going 23-10 for the sweep.
But the finals were the most exhilarating thing of my life. "16-14 for Fnatic. What a game and I wonder what the second game holds."
"Ninjas in Pajamas absolutely steamrolling Fnatic in map 2. 16-3, what a statement."
"JW has been spectacular this game, can he save the game from overtime? He's 18-8 already but in the 1v5 it's impossible that he'll clutch.
Spoke too soon, he's got 2 from that collateral,
AND ANOTHER FROM A NOSCOPE ON FRIBERG!
Only GeT_RiGhT and f0rest left on the T side of NiP.
JW goes for the AK…
AND PULLS THE 180 SPRAY TRANSFER!
DOES HE HAVE TIME?
YES HE DOES! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR DREAMHACK 2013 CHAMPI-"
I turned off the replay. I couldn't deal with another night of dreaming of being a pro CS:GO player again.
Looking back, it had been pretty uneventful after that. I had gotten a couple titles after in '14 and '15 and one more in '17 but then it all flatlined.
Now I was looking at an article that said "VALORANT - Closed Beta" and was faced with a choice.
Try to reinvent myself in CS:GO just to get shut down by the rise of a new team.
Or:
Switch to VALORANT.
Now this was a big risk. After my '15 major, the world saw the rise of Luminosity and SK right after. Then Astralis came around and dominated for years, and Natus Vincere don't look like they're giving up their #1 spot anytime soon.
But VALORANT might not even get an esport, then I'll lose my CS:GO contract.
I made the decision to switch
And it was that day my life changed.
Notes (some details are not accurate and that is on purpose so im putting the factual details below):
-JW was originally known as JWonderchild
-JW was named MVP of DreamHack Winter 2013, the first CS:GO major.
-Fnatic played Na.Vi and Clan Mystik in group A. -Fnatic beat Recursive and Complexity in the playoffs and then NiP in the finals.
-flusha, another Fnatic player, also popped off that tournament.
-KennyS did start his career in CS:GO with Recursive.
-JW was Fnatic's AWPer.
