Vitality’s Twisten pledges to donate 25 euros for every Shorty kill during the VCT LOCK//IN event to help the recovery effort in Turkey
Following an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude that struck parts of Turkey and Syria, the VALORANT community has been shaken. As teams are currently traveling to São Paulo for the VCT LOCK//IN event, attention turns to the health and safety of players and families affected by the massive earthquakes.
The current death toll resides in the thousands with many buildings collapsing, according to BBC News.
Vitality Twisten pledges to help recovery effort
One professional player, Team Vitality's Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener, is taking matters into his own hands. Twisten pledged on Twitter to donate 25 euros for every Shorty kill in the tournament to help the recovery effort. The promise accounts for all 32 teams, and not just for Twisten's kills.
However, professional teams don't often opt for the Shorty in official matches. But at a meager 150 credits and with new incentives to buy, multiplied by 32 teams, there could be a flurry of early game Shorty buys in Brazil. Cloud9's Nathan “leaf” Orf told Twisten he'd go broke with Anthony “vanity” Maladisas in attendance — a regular purchaser of the pistol.
Impact on the VALORANT community
Unfortunately, the disaster has impacted the VALORANT community. Search efforts for the female UnknownPlayers Gizem “Luie” Harmankaya have begun, as reported by George Geddes of Dot Esports.
Furthermore, the concern over the Turkish players and families are mounting on Twitter. Thankfully, Natus Vincere player Mehmet “cNed” Yağız İpek is confirmed to be safe. Additionally, there's word that former Heretics player Melih “pAura” Karaduran is safe. But, he is still searching for family members possibly in the area.
Fnatic's Emir “Alfajer” Ali Beder, took to Twitter to say his family was buried under rubble, but have since been freed and are now away from danger.
Challengers League Turkey Brilik postponed
As for the regional Challengers League, Riot Turkey announced it will be postponed until further notice. Players safety takes precedent over the needs of the VALORANT ecosystem. In a statement released over Twitter, Riot shared sympathies with the victims of this horrific event. “As Riot Games Turkey, our hearts are saddened by the loss of many. We hope that all rescue teams on the ground get to the victims as fast as possible. We also share our deepest sympathies with everyone affected by the earthquake."