Fortnite World Cup runner-up Psalm explains shock switch to Valorant

The runner-up in the 2019 Fortnite World Cup Solos tournament, Harrison ‘Psalm’ Chang, has explained his shock move away from Epic Games’ battle royale, as well as revealing that is headed to Valorant. 

Prior to the 2019 Fortnite World Cup, few people would have known the name Psalm. However, a second-place finish, behind only 16-year-old Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf, saw Chang take home an incredible $1.8 million. 

Away from the incredible prize money, he has also cultivated a successful Twitch channel, primarily off the back of playing Fortnite. However, he announced on April 5 that he would be stepping away from the game that made him a millionaire and into new competitive territory. 

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“My dream is to be the most decorated competitor in gaming history,” he said. “I have my eyes set on Valorant next.” 

What has shocked most people about Psalm’s decision is the move to Valorant, a game that has not yet become a staple esports title. In fact, at the time of Chang’s announcement, Valorant is still in its beta phase. 

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While Fortnite grew to be immensely popular in its beta, it is up in the air whether Valorant will experience anywhere near the same level of success. “Thank you Fortnite for everything,” he finished. “I was given the chance to achieve what only few have had the pleasure of accomplishing.” 

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While the move certainly constitutes something of a gamble, Psalm has already proven an incredible ability to transition between video games and still remain at the very top. 

He has previously shared some of his wider gaming successes, including Top 70 in Overwatch’s Season 1 ladder, reaching Global Elite rank in CS:GO, and hitting D3 in LoL in 2 months as a brand new player. 

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While many wished him luck in his new adventures, others took the news as an opportunity to criticize Epic Games. 

Cented7, a professional Fortnite player for Team Liquid, asked: “How can an esports scene be so uncompetitive that the 2nd place winner at worlds literally quits the game”. 

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Despite Psalm not citing Fortnite’s competitive decline as a reason for the switch, many have criticized Epic Games for failing to innovate either casual or competitive play in Chapter 2. 

While it certainly represents a leap of faith, Chang is clearly confident about his ability to switch between titles. Only time will tell if his confidence is well-founded.