T1 has announced that they have signed former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) pro, Tyler “Skadoodle” Latham, to complete their Valorant roster.
Skadoodle joins a T1 roster comprised of fellow former CS:GO pros Braxton “Brax” Pierce, Keven “AZK” Larivière, Austin “crashies” Roberts, and Victor “food” Wong. The will also be coached by CS legend Daniel “fRoD” Montaner.
“Beyond excited to compete again, I’m very thankful for the opportunity and to pursue my passion once again makes me incredibly happy,” Skadoodle said in a statement posted on his personal Twitter account.
Skadoodle started his professional career in CS:GO back in 2012 with Team Curse. He played with Denial eSports, iBUYPOWER, and GX before landing with the his most notable CS:GO team, Cloud9 (C9), in 2015.
As C9’s AWPer, he helped his team claim an ESL Pro League title in 2016 and the first Major championship for a North American organization at the ELEAGUE Major in Boston back in January 2018.
Skadoodle initially took a break from CS:GO in March of that year, though he returned to C9 under two weeks later. He would then become inactive six months later and become a full-time streamer before making his switch to Valorant.
Skadoodle will notably be reuniting with his former teammates in iBUYPOWER, Brax and AZK, in T1.
- Beginner’s Guide to Valorant: Tips and strategies everyone should know
- Valorant Economy Guide: How to earn credits and what to buy with them
Skadoodle is one among a growing number of former CS:GO pros from North America, which includes Gage “Infinite” Green, Ryan “freakazoid” Abadir, and Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro, among others, who have already made the switch to Valorant in the hopes of finding greener pastures.
“I don’t think there’s a good reason to invest into the lower divisions of CS when you have a game like Valorant. It makes sense for organizations to pour money into that since the scene is so unestablished. It’s a gold rush essentially right now, so why put money into a top 20-30 team?” said yayster.
“I don’t blame them. Some people need to pay bills or want a fresh start after playing a game for years and years. A large majority aren’t looking to cash out on this opportunity. It’s just the hand they were dealt.”
While Valorant has only just been fully released back in June 2, the hype surrounding the game has been phenomenal. Big-name players from other shooter games like CS:GO, Apex Legends, and Overwatch are already trying their luck in Valorant’s fledgling competitive scene, well ahead of its expected rise to a top-tier esport.
READ MORE: This is why Valorant is the FPS esport you’ve been waiting for
