Harrison "Psalm" Chang, the runner-up at the 2019 Fortnite World Cup Finals in the solo division, is retiring from the game. He announced Sunday on social media that he will be moving to a new gaming title with VALORANT.
My dream is to be the most decorated competitor in gaming history. I have my eyes set on @PlayValorant next.
— psalm (@psalm) April 5, 2020
Thank you @FortniteGame for everything. I was given the chance to achieve what only few have had the pleasure of accomplishing.
"Dedication sees dreams come true."
KB
A five-on-five tactical shooter, VALORANT was created by Riot Games, the developer that created the most watched esport in the world, League of Legends.
"VALORANT is the next gaming titan and will have the most saturated and diverse pool of talent we'll have ever seen," Psalm told ESPN following his announcement. "I know Riot will crush it and have a stable competitive scene. I want to be a part of that and be at the top of yet another game and genre."
At the 2019 Fortnite World Cup Finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City, Psalm had his best performance as a Fortnite pro, finishing second to solo division winner Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf. For his podium finish, Psalm earned $1.8 million in prize money.
In his tweet, Psalm said his dream was to become the "most decorated competitor in gaming history." Before turning professional in Fortnite and playing for esports organization Counter Logic Gaming, he excelled in other gaming titles, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft II and Overwatch.
VALORANT is set for a global release in the summer, with a closed beta beginning April 7. Although no pro scene has been announced for VALORANT, the game's developers have promised a competitive title in which they'll let the community dictate how the esports scene grows in its early stages. The game broke records on April 3, when more than 1 million viewers tuned in on Twitch for a chance to acquire access to the upcoming closed beta.