Standout VALORANT IGL vanity retires from professional play
Most teams rolled out simple strategies in the early days of professional VALORANT. They were more reliant on skill rather than having set strategies. It was a bare-bones approach early on, which paled in comparison to the uber-tactical Counter-Strike. Since many players moved over from that esports circuit, some players stood out as strategists.
The tactical masterminds often went into in-game leader roles (IGL), and one of them was American player Anthony ‘vanity’ Malaspina. He stood out for Cloud9 for three years, with some stints for Version1 and Shopify Rebellion. After a great stint as arguably the North American region’s best IGL, he has decided to step away from esports.
Vanity is stepping away from esports entirely
After last competing for Cloud9’s VALORANT team in August 2024, vanity was rumoured to return to Counter-Strike. That did not pan out for him, which has led to his decision to step away from esports.
He is a big-time miss for esports as he was a brilliant tactical mind. Even in Counter-Strike, he was a respected leader, as he knew how to set up his team to compete at the highest level. That improved in VALORANT because it was a game waiting for innovations.
While he is not stepping away from gaming, vanity has laid out a plan for himself for 2025. He took to X to announce his plans, stating, ‘I will be going back to school to finish my degree part-time & pursue streaming full-time for 6 months, if I don't enjoy it or it seems unsustainable after 6 months I will be going back to finish my degree full-time’.
Vanity will be missed in the VALORANT space
As the VALORANT scene has progressed, in-game leaders have become an important part of the system. Any team that wants to succeed needs an IGL who can either be a brilliant tactician or a strong motivational figure. That has been the case for esports as a whole, no matter what game they play.
However, VALORANT is not the type of game that has the best IGLs, especially in the North American region. With fellow NA IGL standout Pujan ‘FNS’ Mehta hinting at retirement after the 2025 season, the region is starved of good IGLs running the game for their teams.
It will be interesting to see how the NA region adjusts because they are falling behind other regions. They have the talent to keep up with the individual battles, but since VALORANT is a team-based game, every team will need a leader to guide the way.
As other teams forge a path to success, NA’s best representation for leadership has decided to leave. No matter what one’s opinion is on vanity, he left a mark on the VALORANT scene.
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