The VALORANT esports scene recently faced a storm when Sean Gares, a well-known figure in competitive gaming, exposed widespread match fixing and corruption within the Tier 2 ecosystem. Riot Games has now stepped in with a thorough investigation, eager to address these troubling claims.
Match fixing isn’t new to esports. For years, cheating, illegal gambling, and corruption have plagued various competitive games, prompting the creation of regulatory bodies to try to keep things fair. Sean Gares’ six-minute video shed light on the current state of North American Tier 2 VALORANT, describing it as “infected” with match-fixing, cheating, and underground gambling rings where people make hundreds of thousands of dollars from rigged games.
“Here we are today, and what we are discussing today is the state of Tier 2 North American VALORANT. Yeah. It is infected. Match fixing, cheating, underground gambling rings, people making hundreds of thousands of dollars on these games that are rigged.”
Gares recalled a time in 2014 when a match was thrown for just $700 worth of Counter-Strike skins, highlighting how long these problems have existed. He also pointed out the fragile state of the ecosystem, with many organizations dropping out and players being bribed to throw games or even fix ranked matches.
“Here we are, all these Tier 1 orgs have left, and these players are desperate. They’re getting bribed for tens of thousands of dollars in one instance to throw a game. It could even be to fix a ranked game. Whatever you do, they’ve got you by the balls, because you know why? They don’t go away, and they can blackmail you for eternity. That’s how this game works.”
Riot Games responded to these allegations in a statement to Sports Illustrated, confirming an ongoing investigation:
“The recent allegations about North America Challengers have been under active investigation since they were raised to us last week. Let us be clear: we take accusations like these extremely seriously and our Competitive Operations, Anti-Cheat, and Esports Rules & Compliance teams have been thoroughly examining the matter.
We appreciate everyone who has raised concerns and provided information. Suggestions that a Riot employee deliberately undermined competitive integrity, however, represent an incredibly serious accusation that can unfairly impact individuals personally and professionally.
The claims raised to our anti-cheat team are part of this broader investigation, and we have seen nothing so far that indicates complicity or wrongdoing by any member of our anti-cheat team.
Investigations require time and coordination as we conduct interviews and gather evidence. We will follow established procedures thoroughly and carefully, without being influenced or pressured by external voices.”
Cheating and match fixing have been persistent problems in multiplayer games, and the rise of esports gambling only adds fuel to the fire. Gares’ warnings about players betting against themselves or colluding with third parties highlight the risks facing VALORANT’s competitive integrity.
