“I’m hoping that this is the beginning of a larger esports scene in Southeast Asia.”
For X10 CRIT’s Thanamethk “Crws” Mahatthananuyut, playing in VALORANT is about more than just winning. It’s about motivating his region to take the game seriously and invest fully in esports.
Despite being dismissed as a real contender, X10 had an incredible run at VCT Champions. In the group round, the Thai team defeated Brazil’s Keyd Stars and North America’s Team Envy before falling to EMEA’s Gambit in the quarterfinals today.
“I hope that reaching the quarterfinals will enlarge the scene,” Crws stated after the loss in a press conference. “The only reason I’m here… and everyone else is here… is to show that we’ve got something under our sleeves.”
Crwz expects that his team’s performance will pave the way for more Southeast Asian players to follow. “If we can do it, they can do it,” he asserted.
Taking Gambit all the way to a thrilling third map in the VCT Champions quarterfinals has the potential to open doors for players and organizations in his region.
“There are very few people in our community who would risk everything to play the game as a job,” Crwz stated. “I’m hoping that this is the beginning of a larger esports scene in Southeast Asia.”
Despite the fact that X10 has been ousted from the tournament, the semifinals will take place on Saturday, December 11th.