Rumor: Overwatch League MVP Sinatraa Retires, Will Move to Valorant

Overwatch MVP Jay “Sinatraa “ Won is set to retire from the OWL. In a shocking twist, he’s now going to be a Valorant pro.

Last year’s Overwatch League MVP Sinatraa has announced plans to step down from the San Francisco Shock and as a professional OWL player. ESPN is now reporting that Sinatraa is set to move to Riot Games’ FPS title Valorant as he seeks to make a career change.

He came, he saw and he conquered.

Thank you and best of luck in your future endeavors @Sinatraa🧡 pic.twitter.com/XCyWSzN4UV

— San Francisco Shock (@SFShock) April 28, 2020

Sinatraa was one of the first and youngest players to make it in the OWL. Signed by the San Francisco Shock at just 17, after a dominant display at the 2017 Overwatch World Cup. He’s alleged salary led to him receiving the nickname “Mr. 150k.”. Spending his first season not able to play due to him not being 18, Sinatraa would later go on to help the Shock win the grand finals against the Vancouver Titans and picking himself up the league MVP.

From Overwatch to Valorant

Then comes the Valorant rumors. Now, having retired from Overwatch, Sinatraa is allegedly looking to turn his attention to the yet released Riot Games title Valorant. With a great deal of buzz around the title, but no real esports scene near completion it seems like a huge risk. It is, however, exactly the sort of pr Riot Games will love. Taking one of your biggest competitors’ best players, and current MVP and having him play in your esports, of which there isn’t one? It sounds like a major win for Riot Games.

Alas, it’s not ideal for Blizzard and the Overwatch League. Nor is it something that the San Francisco Shock is likely to be happy about. As of publishing, Sinatraa posted on Twitter that he wasn't ready for this news to release. He added that he will write a Twitlonger to explain the move in more detail.

Valorant Esports

So far we know very little about what Riot Games has planned for Valorant as an esports. For now, at least, it appears that Riot is looking for third-party tournament organizers to run events for the first year or so of Valorant’s life as an esports. Then, given time, it’s likely Riot Games will step in and run things moving forward.

Given the success of league of legends and that games staying power, fans of Valorant will certainly be hopeful. Though, Riot Games hasn’t struck gold (yet) with its other title Teamfight Tactics and Legends of Runeterra. Though both games also remain at a very early stage and exist in games genres that have nowhere near the mass-appeal of an FPS like Valorant.