Virginia’s Most Popular Video Game: “Valorant” Led the Commonwealth!

Birmingham 2022, or the XXII Commonwealth Games as they were formally named, was a multi-sport tournament hosted in Birmingham, England, for members of the Commonwealth of Nations between July 28 and August 8, 2022.

With 72 countries represented and more than 1.3 million tickets sold, these Games were the biggest ever. It was the first time that the para competition was contested alongside the main event and the first time that women outnumbered men in the competition. What’s more, 2022 served as a test run year for esports in the Birmingham 2022 Games.

The West Midlands hosted a cultural festival and many trade shows in addition to the Games. They also had an eSports competition. Exactly one month after the Games ended, on September 8, Queen Elizabeth II passed away, making this the last occasion she presided over the event.

About the Commonwealth Esports Championship 2022

National teams from all over the world competed in the Commonwealth Esports Championship, an international competition that the Commonwealth Games Federation sanctioned, during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Rocket League, eFootball, and Dota 2 were all represented in the tournament, with Valorant taking the lead from the very start.

We believe it’s fantastic that esports is growing at such a rapid rate, and we’re glad that the Commonwealth Games are helping young people reach their full potential.

Although it coincided with Birmingham 2022, the Commonwealth Esports Championship had its own logo, medals, and governing body.

Eight medals in esports like League of Legends, Valorant, FIFA, and Street Fighter V went toward the overall rankings at last year’s Asian Games in China.

Some people still object to gaming becoming a major component of the curriculum, despite the popularity of esports. Gold medalist swimmer, Sharron Davies from the 1978 Commonwealth Games, remarked, “I would have delighted to see the Commonwealth Games add things like freestyle or skating, which were so popular at the Olympics.”

Sharron further added, “I simply think it’s important to try to modernize [the Commonwealth Games] by including more sports that involve active participation from young people and less that require people to sit down and use their two hands and thumb.”

However, Sadleir believes that the rise of esports cannot be ignored, saying, “We believe it’s a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another and connect ourselves with a sector that is developing at such incredible rates among young people and in the manner that they’re looking to innovate one another when it comes to active esports options.”

Professional FIFA player and former Scotland national team member Adam Ryan thinks esports can deliver a positive message to the general public.

“We worked with gaming and used it as a tool to combat knife crime and racism; we held an event called All Access Gaming that 130,000 people attended,” he said.

Instead of trying to undermine video games, why not use them to get people moving? Since it is obvious that the youth of today are into video games. To make it easier for them, Virginia betting apps offer a variety of sports and betting options to choose from.

Valorant in the Commonwealth Games

Valorant was first unveiled in October 2019 under the codename Project A until its creator, Riot Games, revealed its new name, Valorant. It’s a hybrid of sorts, with inspiration drawn from games like Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and the ubiquitous League of Legends.

It’s a 5v5 multiplayer FPS where one team takes the offensive, and the other team holds the line. Similarities to CS:GO can be seen in the primary game mode, Search and Destroy. The opposing side’s goal is to prevent the assaulting team from planting and detonating a bomb (also referred to as a “spike”) in their territory. If one team is wiped out before the other meets any other winning conditions, the other squad wins, irrespective of whether the spike was placed.

Each of the 25 rounds in a match lasts 100 seconds. The contest is decided by the team that wins the most rounds. You’ll have thirty seconds to stock up on weapons and armor before the match begins. You will not be able to resurrect until the beginning of the next round if you die during the current one. This direct method of play may be enjoyed in either casual or competitive matches.

This gameplay may seem similar to Defuse in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but Riot has added its own spin. Each round begins with you selecting an agent and making a weapon purchase. Each agent has a unique set of skills, from mending teammates to creating invisible barriers.

Considering Valorant’s Agents are built with a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) mentality in mind, a well-rounded set of skills is essential for winning, as we saw comprehensively in last year’s Commonwealth Games. Valorant took the lead in the esports arena at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the organizers are happier than ever.

Undoubtedly, esports has a lot of potential to become a permanent sports category in the upcoming Commonwealth Games. If not the next one, we are positive about its prominence in the 2030 Commonwealth Games.