Latest news with #FlyQuestRED
Saudi Gazette
4 days ago
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Riot Games responds to match-fixing allegations in VALORANT
THE ES TIMES — I've recently been following the escalating controversy rocking the VALORANT scene in North America. Riot Games has issued an official response to the mounting allegations of match-fixing, cheating, and integrity violations within Challengers NA competitions. Statement from Riot's Global Head of VALORANT Esports Leo Faria, the global head of VALORANT Esports, addressed the matter through the VCT X account, confirming that Riot Games takes these allegations very seriously. According to Faria, Riot began gathering information immediately after the reports surfaced in early May. To further the process, Riot Games enlisted the help of several integrity partners, including IBIA, Sportradar, and GRID, to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation. To date, Riot has not confirmed conclusive evidence. Investigating Carefully "We are thoroughly investigating all allegations," Faria said. He added that community input is welcome, but only credible evidence will inform decisions. He emphasized the importance of whistleblowers and community awareness, but reminded that legal action must be a priority. Riot also encouraged anyone with credible information to report it directly. The statement read: "If someone approaches you with information regarding misconduct, don't react—report it immediately." I personally like this approach, as it sets a strong example for professionally handling complex issues. The Controversy Began:Gares' Revealing Video The crisis escalated after Sean Gares, the general manager of Shopify Rebellion, posted a video titled "The Dark Side of Competitive VALORANT." He focused on a user named "bray," accusing him of paying players to intentionally lose matches. He also linked him to cryptocurrency-related groups rumored to be run by a person known as Cooker. Both parties denied the accusations. Bray wrote: "I didn't do anything. I have nothing to do with any of this. Stop posting about me." While Cooker tweeted that he doesn't "engage in any manipulation or anything like that." Accusations against professional players Gares also presented what he believes is potential evidence implicating Adam "Fair" Elharoun and Bob "Bob" Tran, who currently play for FlyQuest RED. According to him, they intentionally lost a match against Burger Boys and cheated in another match against Shopify Rebellion. He also mentioned that two other teams may have been involved, but chose not to name them, citing a desire to "protect people." FlyQuest RED's reaction In response to the accusations, FlyQuest RED has decided to temporarily suspend Bob. The team will field a replacement player while an internal investigation is conducted. The team's statement read: "We have been informed of the situation and will take the necessary time to evaluate everything." However, this decision has drawn criticism from the gaming community, with some pointing out that Marvel Rivals player Cooper 'coopertastic' remains on the FlyQuest roster, despite his offensive statements, which included transphobic and sexist slurs. Looking Ahead As the investigation continues, attention is focused on the actions of the individuals and organizations involved. Riot's approach appears balanced and, hopefully, leads to a fair resolution. With the rapid growth of the esports industry, competitive integrity must remain a top priority. Raouf Belhamra – Esports and Gaming writer
Saudi Gazette
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
Sonder announces retirement from VALORANT after Red Bull Instalock
The ES TIMES — Veteran Game Changers player Diana 'sonder' Zhang has officially announced her retirement from VALORANT competition, with Red Bull Instalock 2025 being her final appearance on the stage. The Chinese-American player, who currently represents FlyQuest RED, shared the news on social media, stating that she will be stepping away from professional esports to pursue new goals in her life. 'I am grateful for all the amazing people I have met along the way,' Sonder wrote. 'Thank you all for the support, love, and encouragement through every moment, whether it's the ups or the downs. I hope I've made it clear that no matter what, always have fun.' 'I'm not sad that it's over, I'm happy that it happened. I love you all.' Despite her departure from the competitive scene, Sonder confirmed that she will continue to stream regularly on her Twitch channel, maintaining a presence within the community that has supported her throughout her career. Sonder's journey in VALORANT began in 2021 with Moon Raccoons Black, quickly rising to the top, joining Shopify Rebellion GC, where she spent over two years. Her successful tenure with the team saw her reach the final of the 2022 Game Changers Championship, cementing her position as one of the best duelists in the industry. In early 2024, Sonder joined FlyQuest RED, remaining with them for over a year before announcing her decision to retire. The team issued a heartfelt farewell message to her: "Thank you, Sonder, for your time with us at RED and Game Changers. Your impact on the team and the scene as a whole has been incredible. You willbegreatlymissed." Sonder's final appearance was on May 2–3 at the Red Bull Instalock event, which took place at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London. Fans can follow the event live on the official Red Bull Gaming Twitch and YouTube channels. Sonder's retirement comes at a time of significant change in the scene, with another Game Changers star, Ava "florescent" Eugene, also announcing she will be taking a break from competition in 2025 after moving to Team Apeks in the EMEA region.
Arab News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Saudi professional esports team Falcons Vega wins UK women's tournament Red Bull Instalock
LONDON: Falcons Vega have been crowned this year's Red Bull Instalock champions, securing the victory following a weekend of top-level competition from London's premier gaming and esports venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere. The event marked the UK's first professional women's esports tournament of 2025. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Returning for a second straight year, Red Bull Instalock brought together four of the world's elite women's VALORANT teams for two days of competition. Returning to the lineup were last year's champions G2 Gozen from Germany and London locals GIANTX GC. Joining them as Red Bull Instalock newcomers were Falcons Vega from Saudi Arabia and FlyQuest RED representing America. The tournament saw the return of its unique format, transforming the traditional team structure to require three duelists, VALORANT's offensive class, in order to encourage aggressive plays and quick thinking. The tournament kicked off Friday with intense best-of-three matchups between Falcons Vega and GiantX GC, and between G2 Gozen and FlyQuest RED. Following intense back-and-forth battles on the map, Falcons Vega and G2 Gozen both secured 2-1 wins in their matches, progressing to the Upper Bracket Final later in the day. Inaugural Red Bull Instalock champions G2 Gozen continued their winning streak, knocking Falcons Vega down to the lower bracket in a clean 2-0 sweep and securing the first available spot for the Grand Final. In the lower bracket, FlyQuest RED knocked out GiantX GC in a 2-0 win, before being pitted against Falcons Vega. With both teams eager to prove their worth and secure the remaining spot in the Grand Final, Falcons Vega swiftly earned their place with a 2-0 win that propelled them into the final showdown. The Grand Final pivoted to a best-of-five, raising the stakes and pushing both teams to the limit in an intense back-and-forth showdown that went across five maps. Falcons Vega swiftly took the first map against G2 Gozen, grinding the latter team's momentum to a halt. Determined not to go down without a fight, G2 Gozen brought it back with a 19-17 win on map two following the longest overtime in the tournament's history, and another win on the third map, before Falcons Vega closed the gap on map four. With teams tied, stakes were higher than ever going into map five, and Falcons Vega eventually triumphed 13-8 following an incredible final performance, dethroning G2 Gozen and claiming the title of Red Bull Instalock Champions. Falcons Vega pro and Red Bull player Maryam 'Mary' Maher said: 'It means so much to have won Red Bull Instalock. This team is made of the most hardworking women I know, and I'm proud of the work we put in. We're so happy to be representing the Middle East and want to be role models for women gamers in the region.' Red Bull Instalock host Yinsu Collins also commented: 'This year's Red Bull Instalock has been amazing. I don't think I'll ever forget that we crowned Falcons Vega as our winners, and it's been really special to have some of the best players from MENA and SEA to compete under one roof in London. We had an incredible variety of international teams and players compete this year, which helped keep the action fresh, and it's been great to see matchups between teams that don't normally get to compete together.'
