Leviatán was outmatched by top international opponents at VCT Masters Shanghai. They were defeated 2-1 by the eventual tournament champions, Gen.G. In their elimination match against FUT Esports, they suffered an embarrassing 13-1 loss on Sunset, followed by another 2-1 series loss.
Despite playing in both series, Corbin ‘C0M’ Lee struggled to perform and ended up with 25 eliminations against Gen.G and 28 kills against the VCT EMEA squad, placing him at the bottom of the scoreboard for both matches.
Despite facing a major slump and receiving significant backlash from fans, C0M was interviewed by Josh ‘Sideshow’ Wilkinson after their loss to FUT Esports in China. This was captured in a video at the timestamp 26:204.
C0M admitted to having a hazy recollection of the game and took full responsibility for his subpar performance, but assured a comeback to his usual level of play.
“C0M shared with Sideshow that although things may take time, they will ultimately rise to meet the expectations when the time comes, despite trying to hold in his emotions.”
Despite breaking down backstage and crumpling under the pressure, it is even more impressive that he was able to pick himself up and lead Leviatán to the top of VCT Americas for the first time. Even after falling hard, Leviatán was able to pick themselves up and continue their journey.
Leviatán: Picking Themselves Up After Falling Hard
After receiving a wake-up call on the international stage, Leviatán realized that a change was necessary. As a result, they removed their head coach and promoted Dimitar ‘Itopata’ Staev to the position. Additionally, they recruited Preston ‘Juv3nile’ Dornon, who previously coached C0M before joining Evil Geniuses.
“During Split 2, I have been able to play more in line with my own style and make use of my own timings within the team. This has allowed me to contribute towards the team’s success and also find my own role within the team. Furthermore, I have also discovered my preferred playstyle and how I can best contribute to the team’s victories,”he explained.
According to C0M, the team’s shift was not solely due to the coaching change, but also a change in mentality among the entire roster.
C0M and KiNgg celebrate a round win in VCT Americas Grand Final.
“We had a sense that we should take action, while also staying true to ourselves.”
Despite their disastrous run in China, Leviatán bounced back and dominated the VCT Americas league. Throughout their journey to winning the league, they only suffered one loss and ultimately earned the No. 1 seed for Valorant Champions 2024.
Despite appearing to be a highly organized and efficient unit, the recently restructured team, according to C0M, excels in its ability for each player to freely play and react within the team’s structure.
“According to him, being able to freely flow and adapt in rounds is a significant advantage. In team settings, one cannot simply stick to a specific plan but must be able to anticipate and respond to their opponents. He believes that our team possesses this skill and it has been a key factor in our success.”
C0M’s return to form ahead of the first matches at Champions earned him the title of “most clutch”VCT player from his fellow Valorant professionals. This was recognized by ValorantEsports.
Valorant Champions and One More Big Hoorah
C0M has previous experience at this point in the season and is familiar with the requirements for a successful run and victory in the Valorant Champions trophy.
Just like on EG, Leviatán’s current role is to maintain a positive atmosphere and high spirits. However, there is a greater expectation for Leviatán and his team to win at this year’s World Championship than there was for them last year.
“According to him, one of my responsibilities in the team is to handle a lot of the mid-rounding and similar tasks. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that everyone is enjoying themselves.”
During their debut match in the Champions series against Talon Esports, C0M kept the atmosphere relaxed by highlighting the impressive performance of the VCT Pacific team’s rookie ace, who had been called out by Ian ‘tex’ Botsch in a pre-match segment.
“My entire team clears him [Primmie].”Tex wants all the smoke😬 pic.twitter.com/lKNCWT4daA
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 3, 2024
“C0M revealed that he had told tex during the match, ‘You just had to talk mess about him.’”
Leviatán dominated Talon with a 2-0 sweep, solidifying their spot in the playoff stage of the event.
If C0M’s wishes come true, his team will triumphantly make their way to the Grand Finals in the INSPIRE Arena. He firmly believes that the team that enjoys themselves the most or plays with the most fluidity will emerge victorious in nine out of ten occasions.
Despite a bit of a delay, Leviatán has lived up to the high expectations placed upon them since the beginning of the season.
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