Sentinels captain ShahZaM disappointed with Valorant Champions prize pool

Sentinels in-game leader Shahzeb ‘ShahZaM’ Khan was critical of the fact that Valorant Champions will have just $1 million at stake.

The Valorant scene has turned its attention to the upcoming Valorant Champions event, the end-of-the-year LAN that will bring the curtain down on the season.

Sixteen teams from all over the world will be vying for $1 million in this two-week-long tournament. It is a record prize purse in the game, up $300,000 when compared to the prize fund on offer at the previous international LAN, the VCT Masters event Berlin.

Still, ShahZaM pointed out that the figure pales in comparison to the prizes that are up for grabs in other games, adding that the streamers hosting the watch parties for the event will be earning more money than the actual players.

“When you look at other esports for the world tournament, it’s still disappointing because it’s pretty similar to Masters,” he said on his stream. “Do you know that the streamers who are hosting the watch parties for the stream are making more than the players competing?

“We’re coming here, we’re training every day, sweating, we’re quarantining, we travel across the world and we’re playing. I could just sit at home and host a watch party and I’d make more than the prize money.

“One thing is your passion, but your financial future is another thing.”

ShahZaM drops retirement hint

Sentinels looked like an unstoppable force at the VCT Stage 2 Masters in Reykjavík, where they cruised to the title in undefeated fashion.

However, things were not as smooth at the following VCT Masters event. They finished second to G2 Esports in their group, and then lost to North American rivals Team Envy in the first round of the playoffs.

Competition will be fierce at Valorant Champions, but Sentinels will still be hopeful of ending the year on a positive note and with another title in the bag.

And this could turn out to be ShahZaM’s final event as a professional player: The 28-year-old has revealed that this could be “the last run” and that he might become a streamer.

“Becoming a coach? Absolutely not,” he said. “If I retire it’s not going to be because I can’t compete. I still feel like I’m one of the best players, at least within the region.

“If I stop competing, it’s because I want to pursue streaming more.

“Who knows, this might be the last run.”