Tyson “TenZ” Ngo has officially pulled back the curtain on the finalists for the TenZ VALORANT Community Awards, and the list reads like a snapshot of everything that defined the 2025 season. With players and coaches themselves deciding who makes the cut, these awards carry a kind of weight that goes beyond numbers on a broadcast or popularity on social media. It is about respect earned inside the server, and that is exactly why this reveal matters.

I’m excited to announce the finalists of the TenZ VALORANT Community Awards, starting with VCT!

Players & coaches ranked their top 5 per category using a point system. Top 3 are finalists.

Winners will be revealed during our live ceremony on February 4th, 9pm PST#TenZVALAwards pic.twitter.com/uTaRF1Ce0J

— TenZ (@TenZOfficial) January 26, 2026

After weeks of quiet build up, the confirmed finalists now set the stage for a live ceremony on February 4, shaping up to be one of the most genuinely community driven VALORANT events to date.

A Peer Voted Celebration Of Competitive Excellence

What separates the TenZ VALORANT Community Awards from most esports shows is how the winners are chosen. Players and coaches rank their top five candidates in each category, using a points based system that rewards consistent respect across the scene. Only the top three in each category advance as finalists, which gives every nomination real credibility.

VCT Finalists Reflect A Season Of Dominance

The VCT categories feel like a highlight reel from 2025. Fnatic and NRG appear across multiple roles, reflecting deep tournament runs and season long consistency. The familiar rivalry between Jake “Boaster” Howlett and Ethan “Ethan” Arnold also returns, with both once again shortlisted for IGL of the Year.

TenZ VALORANT Community Awards – VCT Finalists

Initiator Of The Year

• Austin “crashies” Roberts
• Trent “trent” Cairns
• Brock “brawk” Somerhalder

Sentinel Of The Year

• Logan “skuba” Jenkins
• Nathan “leaf” Orf
• Emir Ali “Alfajer” Beder

Controller Of The Year

• Jacob “valyn” Batio
• Sam “s0m” Oh
• Kim “MaKo” Myeong Gwan

Duelist Of The Year

• Erick “aspas” Santos
• Adam “mada” Pampuch
• Kajetan “kaajak” Haremski

Coach Of The Year

• Milan “Milan” de Meij, Fnatic
• Alexandre “alecks” Sallé, Paper Rex
• Malkolm “bonkar” Rench, NRG

Rookie Of The Year

• Adam “mada” Pampuch
• Kajetan “kaajak” Haremski
• Brock “brawk” Somerhalder

IGL Of The Year

• Jake “Boaster” Howlett
• Ethan “Ethan” Arnold
• Jacob “valyn” Batio

NRG’s strong presence across the Americas categories reflects their VALORANT Champions 2025 triumph, while Fnatic’s repeated EMEA nominations underline their ongoing grip on Europe. In the Pacific, Paper Rex once again proves its explosive style remains impossible to ignore.

Regional And Global MVP Finalists

The MVP categories highlight just how wide the talent pool has become across regions, with familiar stars and rising names all in contention.

VCT Americas MVP

• Ethan “Ethan” Arnold
• Adam “mada” Pampuc
• Erick “aspas” Santos

VCT China MVP

• Zheng “zmjjkk” Yongkang
• Teng “happywei” Min wei
• Lin “SpiritZ1” Ting yu

VCT EMEA MVP

• Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin
• Kajetan “kaajak” Haremski
• Emir Ali “Alfajer” Beder

VCT Pacific MVP

• Ngô Công “crazyguy” Anh
• Ilya “something” Petrov
• Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto

VCT Global MVP

• Kajetan “kaajak” Haremski
• Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto
• Erick “aspas” Santos

Game Changers Finalists Showcase World Class Talent

The Game Changers categories are just as stacked. Heavy representation from Team Liquid Brazil, Shopify Rebellion Gold, and MIBR mirrors the podium from the Valorant Game Changers Championship 2025, making their presence feel fully earned rather than symbolic.

TenZ VALORANT Community Awards – Game Changers Finalists

Initiator Of The Year

• Natalia “daiki” Vilela
• Sarah “sarah” Simpson
• Melissa “mel” Millena

Controller Of The Year

• Letícia “joojina” Paiva
• Melanie “meL” Capone
• Aleyna “vania” Keskin

Sentinel Of The Year

• Nicole “noia” Tierce
• Safia “safiaa” Leghzal
• Amy “amy” Lai

Duelist Of The Year

• Nicolas “srN” Niederauer
• Azra “alkyia” Erin
• Karnthida “dodonut” Chaisrakeo

Coach Of The Year

• Caio “napz” Sousa, Team Liquid Brazil
• Loic “effys” Sauvageau, Shopify Rebellion Gold
• Drew “DrewSpark” Spark Whitworth, G2 Gozen

Rookie Of The Year

• Montserrat “mmonch” Gutierre
• Esilene “akita” Xu
• Min Ju “332” Park

IGL Of The Year

• Natalia “daiki” Vilela
• Camila “Sayuri” Obam
• Melanie “meL” Capone

Game Changers MVP

• Paula “bstrdd” Naguil
• Natalia “daiki” Vilela
• Nicole “noia” Tierce

Team Liquid Brazil’s dominance is clear, with daiki earning nominations across multiple categories including MVP. Shopify Rebellion Gold also shows serious depth, placing finalists in nearly every major role.

When And Where To Watch The Ceremony

The TenZ VALORANT Community Awards will air live on February 4 at 9pm PST, streaming on TenZ’s Twitch and YouTube channels. The ceremony was originally planned for December, but the delay allowed more finalists to attend and gave organisers extra time to polish the show.

Winners will be decided using the same player and coach voting system that shaped the finalist lists, with select fan voting opening during the broadcast. It is a rare blend of professional insight and community involvement, and it fits perfectly with how VALORANT continues to evolve.

With this much elite talent packed into one night, February 4 is shaping up as a must watch moment for competitive VALORANT fans.

The post TenZ Reveals Full Finalist List For 2025 VALORANT Community Awards appeared first on Shane the Gamer.