A 2.8 GPA is the least of a “Valorant” player’s worries. After school gets out they make sure to dispose of their backpack until the next morning. After all, why do homework when it’s just a waste of time? Rationalizing is one of a gamer’s strongest attributes. Accompanied by procrastination, “I’ll just do it later” is every committed player’s motto.  

Now, procrastination is caused by something that can be much more problematic, addiction, a need to play the game.  Quite a few Summit students have been addicted to “Valorant” and its effect on students is proving to be significant. “As soon as I touched the game, I was instantly hooked,” said anonymous student A.

“Valorant”, Riot Games’ newest first-person tactical shooter, has taken the gaming community by storm as new players flock to the game. Before being released on June 2, 2020, “Valorant” was highly anticipated after the beta had been closed for 2 weeks prior to the game’s release. Players flock to “Valorant” to earn themselves a high rank in the game rating system, which changes with every win and loss. There are 8 different ranks in “Valorant”, each with their own three sub ranks: iron through immortal, and finally the top 500 players, radiant.

“I first ranked Iron but quickly progressed to gold, when I hit gold, the only thing I could think about was playing more, ” said another Summit student wishing to remain anonymous.

“Valorant” uses this ranking system to its advantage. 

“It tries its best to make each rank-up feel really good and every upcoming rank feel as reachable as possible” said another student. This combination of gameplay and out of game achievements creates a game that is very easy to get addicted to. Addiction looks different for everyone, according to World’s Best Rehab, symptoms include thinking about playing “Valorant” and needing to play to satisfy their artificial need to play .

 Because “Valorant” is so easy to get hooked on, gaming students at Summit have varied opinions on the game and if it is good to play it, not only for the gameplay but for one’s own life and responsibilities, such as grades in school. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love this game, almost too much, because it has gotten in the way of school before and my grades dropped because of it,” anonymous student A said. 

However, another student expressed an opposing opinion.

“I don’t think Valorant addiction is a very big problem, sure it can take up a lot of time, but for me it seems that the game doesn’t ever control me,” said anonymous student B. 

While students have their own opinions about the game’s risks, it is important to note that it is an actual addiction, as the World Health Organization recognized video game addiction as a disorder in 2018. The difference between say a drug addiction and a video game addiction may seem extreme, but the closer one looks the more similarities come into view. 

“I couldn’t stop myself from hopping back on and playing one more, the only thing that could get me to stop was a scolding from either of my parents, honestly without them I would have failed some of my classes,” said anonymous student C. As video games such as “Valorant” grow, more and more students play them, which creates even more addictive situations for students. It is each person’s responsibility to keep track of their own life and with that it is important to remember to be safe and aware while playing. 

“Valorant” is here to stay. As its player base grows and E-sports continue to take over, it is vital for gamers to always make sure to remain aware of their time and remember, an in-game rank isn’t worth half of a life.