The ongoing Valorant Champions Tour 2023: Masters Tokyo tournament has paid tribute to Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener of Team Vitality, who passed away earlier this month.
He was 19.
One of the most promising Valorant professional players from the European region, Twisten shocked the entire gaming community with his sudden death.
Although his cause of passing remains undisclosed, Team Vitality stressed the importance of mental health in a tweet.
“Mental health continues to be an extremely important topic for everyone in esports and in life. If you are struggling, please reach out to someone to talk, it is never too late,” Team Vitality said.
One of the hosts of VCT Masters Tokyo, Yinsu Collins, remembered Twisten as someone special with an unmatched passion for Valorant.
“Twisten was an extraordinary player and person,” Collins said.
“His passion for the game was unmatched especially when it came to his iconic Shorty. His kindness and warmth left a deep impression on everyone that knew him. It was a real privilege to watch him compete and we will all miss him deeply.”
VCT Masters Tokyo’s other host Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez, meanwhile, sent his sympathies to Twisten’s loved ones while also stressing the importance of mental health — reigniting talks that the player’s cause of death may very well have been suicide.
“Karel was one of Valorant’s most exciting players and we will miss seeing him on stage,” Goldenboy said.
“We give our sincerest condolences to his friends, family, and teammates during this very difficult time.”
“If you are suffering from mental health issues, please, reach out for help. Let us show the strength of the Valorant community when the community needs it most.”
