Updated on March 14, 3:20 p.m. (GMT+8): Added images.
Only a few Valorant players in the world have received the same accolades as Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker, better known to his fans as El Diablo.
His reputation as one of the game’s most mechanically gifted players was solidified in 2022 when he led OpTic Gaming to a triumphant victory at Masters Reykjavik in 2022, producing exceptional stats and earning recognition as one of the best players in the world.
As a key member of OpTic’s core, El Diablo achieved consecutive top-three finishes at Masters Copenhagen and Valorant Champions 2022, solidifying his reputation as a top-tier competitor in the esports scene.
Despite a brief tenure with Cloud9 at the beginning of the VCT 2023 season, Yay’s journey took a new direction when he signed with Bleed Esports and competed in the Pacific region in the VCT 2024 season.
In an exclusive AMA with ONE Esports, brought to you in partnership with Samsung, Yay talks about his move to Singapore and playing in the Pacific region. He also expresses which Valorant teams and players have impressed him the most.
Bleed Esports yay AMA with ONE Esports
What’s the most memorable moment or highlight in your entire career so far, and what about it stuck with you?
Master Berlin, I think, was no doubt one of the most memorable experiences I had. Even though we didn’t win the tournament, it just showed that a lot of my hard work paid off during that tournament.
What has been the most challenging for you while playing in the Pacific region, and why?
A: The most challenging thing for me playing in the Pacific region is the wide variety of playstyles and different timings in-game. This challenge needs me to adjust and adapt to their playstyles.
How would you describe VCT Pacific region players?
VCT Pacific region players have very strong mechanics in-game. Most of them are also creative with how they view the game as a whole.
Apart from Valorant, what other games do you play?
Apart from Valorant, I play some League of Legends, Dead by Daylight, and lately, I have been playing some Elden Ring.
What advice do you have for aspiring pro players who want to compete at the highest level in Valorant or other esports?
My advice for aspiring pro players who want to compete at the highest level is to constantly put in effort every day to improve themselves in the game.
Who is your favorite Valorant team to watch?
Lately, it’s been Sentinels and Karmine Corp.
What is the weirdest Valorant map callout you’ve heard?
None really stand out, to be honest, as most of the calls are pretty standard.
If you were to design your own Valorant map, which location would you take inspiration from and why?
Probably Ascent A because I think it’s a balanced site you can play in a lot of ways.
If you could live on any Valorant map, which one would you choose and why?
I would love to live in Pearl. The underwater scenery of the map is beautiful.
Who do you think is the best player right now, and what sets them apart from the other top players?
I think Zekken has been looking very strong and provides a lot of value for his team.
What’s your go-to pre-match ritual or superstition that you believe brings you good luck in games?
The go-to pre-match ritual is preparing my mind to go into a tournament to be fully focused on the game ahead.
If you could design a custom weapon skin for your favorite Valorant weapon, what would it look like, and what special effects would it have?
I’d like a skin that has rare animations/colors/effects in each game. There is a certain percentage chance of it being a certain combo, which might be cool.
What is your favorite Valorant agent voice line, and why?
My favorite Valorant agent voice line is from Brimstone, “Open up the sky,” because it sounds funny.
If Bleed Esports’ Valorant roster were to compete in a cooking competition, what would you and each of your teammates make? Who would win?
I think everyone on the team would order in and submit it to the judge.
If you could create a new game mode in Valorant with unique rules and mechanics, what would it be?
The new game mode would be a replay mode that allows you to re-watch games.
Do you think weapon skins make you play better? If yes, what skins would you recommend for players to rank up with?
Not really, but sometimes they feel better for an unknown reason.
Are there any specific role models that inspired and influenced you the most throughout your esports career? What did they do that made you the player that you are today?
I’m not saying anything specific, but I’ve learned a lot from a lot of different players in both esports and sports. It ranged from small mechanics to mentality.
If you were to face off against a Valorant agent in real life, which agent would you choose, and how would you outsmart them?
I would choose Brimstone and wait for his retirement.
How has the move to Singapore impacted you?
It’s really interesting to see Asia more as I’ve only been there once in the past. In terms of impact on me, I guess just seeing different cultures.
Have you picked up Singlish? What words can you use?
Not a ton, but I do say “can” instead of “I can” now.
What’s your favorite Singapore dish so far? Can you eat spicy food?
Chicken Rice, and I love spicy food.
Can you share any challenges you faced when transitioning to a new region, and how did you overcome them?
Leaving family and loved ones behind and it’s not something I’ve entirely overcome. But they support me in doing what I love.
Hey, yay, I’m a big fan, and I hope you can give me some tips on Valorant! I have been playing for eight months and am currently bronze. I don’t get a chance to play ranked more than a few times a week, and when I do, I’m not focusing or playing as well as I am in Deathmatch.
Do you have any tips that I could use or anything I could focus on to rank up quickly? Thanks, and good luck in VCT 2024!
Thank you for supporting me, and I hope I can give some advice to help you out of bronze. It’s important to know that Deathmatch isn’t ranked, and the fights you take aren’t the same.
Normally, I’d say to use your team more, but in bronze rank, I would heavily focus on mechanics. Mechanics can carry you very far, and then you can begin picking up more team play/utility, etc. I recommend practicing your first bullet accuracy/making sure you’re always on target before you shoot.
I would sacrifice some ranked to practice mechanics if you have any spare time. While it might be less fun, you could easily get silver/gold for a few weeks.
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