The name Austin “crashies” Roberts is quite an iconic one in VALORANT Esports. A player who was the champion of the first VALORANT Masters Tournament (Reykjavík) back in 2022. Since then, Roberts has made a name for himself at NRG Esports and OpTic Gaming, reaching multiple grand finals. During the VALORANT 2025 season, he joined the powerhouse team in FNATIC. Recently, Jaxon had the chance to speak with the player and learn his thoughts on the 2025 season and the reason for his contract extension.
Image credit: Riot Games
Crashies: In the beginning of the year, it was tough for me to adjust to a new team and country. A significant reason for this was that I had no friends or family here. I did struggle, but as the year went on and I got to know my teammates better, the chemistry grew, which helped me. We showed that we are close as teammates, and our synergy was relatively high. This was evident in our performances, as we reached multiple grand finals. Sadly, we couldn’t win any of them, but the journey during this season was really special to me. I would not trade it for anything else.
Crashies: So the off-season after VALORANT Champions has been quite crazy. The VALORANT Champions Grand Finals loss was quite a significant loss for the team. Going into the off-season, I really didn’t know what I was going to do in the VCT 2026 season. So I took some time out to reflect on my career and to focus on the emotional aspect before making any decisions that would be best for my VALORANT career. I won’t lie, I did receive offers from teams in North America and EMEA to join their teams. After much deliberation, I realised that FNATIC is the place to be. We deserve to lift a trophy together, and I hope we do so in the next season. Even Boaster signing a one-year extension with FNATIC helped my decision as I believe in him as a leader and an IGL.
The 2025 VCT Season for FNATIC would be considered a success by many. The team reached four grand finals of major VALORANT Esports tournaments, but sadly, won only one. They finished as runner-ups during VALORANT Masters Toronto 2025, VALORANT X Esports World Cup 2025 & VALORANT Champions 2025. In the previous season, Crashies failed to qualify for any international VALORANT tournament.
Crashies: So obviously, I enjoy travelling and exploring new cultures, so moving and travelling didn’t affect me that much. It did help that I was doing this with my teammates around me. This is because they experienced the same with me and thus made the journey much more enjoyable. At the start of my career with FNATIC, it was really quite challenging. I only had my team and no one else, pretty lucky that the team as a whole liked each other, nd well, the rest is history.
Image credit: Riot Games
Crashies: When we were down 11-1, I remember thinking, like, Wow, this is pretty sad. It wasn’t fun to play; we were getting owned the entire Grand Final. Once we won the pistol round, we started believing a tiny bit. Once we started getting a read on the game and NRG Esports’ playstyle, we began winning round after round. We could feel the crowd getting hyped after each of our wins, and the next thing we knew, we were in overtime. I remember one we hit overtime, and the arena erupted, with the crowd vibrating the stage. At that moment, I felt like my adrenaline was through the roof.
Once we secured the map win, I took off the headphones. I couldn’t hear myself think. It was unbelievable there; the energy and passion were next level. It was so special to share that moment with everyone.
The grand final of VALORANT Champions 2025 was one of the best grand finals in VALORANT Esports history. Two teams, NRG Esports and FNATIC, with their own legacies in this esports. Last year, Crashies was a part of NRG Esports. In the grand final, he would be facing off against some of his former teammates. The map that made this game a part of history is on the third map, Abyss.
NRG Esports were 2-0 on top on their way to winning the final in a clean sweep. They ended the first half with a score of 11-1. Fans around the world were in shock at the domination NRG showcased against FNATIC. On defence, FNATIC started by winning the first three rounds, converting the bonus. They then took the game to overtime, tying it at 12-12. The minute FNATIC completed the comeback, the arena erupted. During overtime, they secured the win with a 15-13 scoreline.
Crashies: I hadn’t played in many off-season events before joining FNATIC. FNATIC is all in on playing off-season events, mainly to build team synergy. Thus, I am always in support of roster changes; it is crucial to play in tournaments. Tournaments like this show how your teammates handle pressure in critical moments. It also helps the team to experience new cultures together. For Red Bull Home Ground, we are in New York, and a lot of my teammates haven’t been in the USA. Thus, I can show them around New York, make them try new food, and help them experience new cultures.
Image credit: Riot Games
Crashies: I have been playing VALORANT since it was launched. So I have seen a lot of players come and go, metas change, and the game change. In those 5 years, I have seen and experienced it all, which gives me an advantage over most current VCT players. All the new players coming in might be mechanically skilled and gifted, but that isn’t what wins you games. Many players are currently focused on reflexes and mechanics. At the end of the day, it isn’t the complete package.
There is a lot of mental skill and knowledge, and being able to read the game and support your teammates is essential. It all comes naturally to me at this point; it isn’t something that I am focused on. I try to do what I can outside the game, like going to the gym and maintaining a healthy relationship. If you can live a healthy, disciplined life outside the game, it will translate into a healthy, disciplined life inside the game as well.
Image credit: Riot Games
Crashies: I would definitely agree with you. Mainly because when I started playing this game professionally during the pandemic, there weren’t any fans at the tournaments. When I was winning trophies, there were no fans in the arena to celebrate and cheer as we lifted the trophy. I wanted to feel what it’s like to lift a trophy in front of fans at a big stadium. It is lovely to meet as many fans as possible during VALORANT tournaments. At the end of the day, we do it for the fans. Feeling their love and support is just a special feeling. Thus, I try my best during meet-and-greets to meet every single fan.
It’s incredible to see a player like Crashies still play on the highest level in VALORANT Esports. A player who is respected by many and appreciated by fans all around the world. If the VCT 2026 season is the player’s final season, it would be really lovely to see his dream of winning a VALORANT Esports tournament in front of fans come true. As we get closer to the start of the VCT 2026 season, only time will tell if we do see him lift the VALORANT Champions 2026 trophy in Shanghai.
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