TenZ
Ngo in 2023
Current team
TeamSentinels
RoleDuelist, Flex/Initiator, Controller
GameValorant
Personal information
NameTyson Van Ngo
Born (2001-05-05) May 5, 2001 (age 22)
NationalityCanadian
Career information
GamesCounter-Strike: Global Offensive
Valorant
Playing career2019–present
Team history
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive:
2019–2020Cloud9
Valorant:
2020–2021Cloud9
2021–presentSentinels
Career highlights and awards
Twitch information
Channel
Followers3.7 million[1]
YouTube information
Channel
Subscribers1.92 million[2]
100,000 subscribers2020
1,000,000 subscribers2021
Last updated: 28 October 2023

Tyson Ngo (born May 5, 2001), better known as TenZ (/ˈtɛnz/), is a Canadian professional Valorant player currently signed to Sentinels. He began his esports career in October 2019 as a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player for Cloud9. In April 2020, he transitioned to Valorant, playing for Cloud9. He took a break from professional Valorant in January 2021 to focus on a career in content creation, and in April 2021, he was loaned to Sentinels. He went on to win the VCT Stage Two Masters in Reykjavík later that year. In June 2021, his Cloud9 contract was bought out by Sentinels.

Career

TenZ's professional career began in October 2019 when, at the age of 18, he joined the Cloud9 team in the first-person shooter title, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). His entry into Cloud9 marked him as one of the youngest players in the professional esports scene at that time.[3] However, in April 2020, following the public beta release of Riot Games' first-person shooter Valorant, TenZ announced his decision to retire from CS:GO and opted to transition into Valorant, thereby becoming Cloud9's first professional player in the title.[4][5]

In January 2021, TenZ announced his departure from professional Valorant focus on a career in content creation.[6] However, his hiatus was short-lived, as Cloud9 agreed to loan TenZ to Sentinels in April 2021, following the suspension of Sentinels player Sinatraa.[7] During the first two stages of the 2021 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), TenZ competed remotely from Canada. Sentinels went on to win the first international Valorant tournament, the VCT Stage Two Masters Reykjavík after sweeping Fnatic in the grand finals by a score of 3–0. TenZ was named the grand finals most valuable player.[8] On June 2, 2021, Sentinels bought out TenZ's contract, reported to be valued between US$1.25 to $1.5 million.[9][10]

On April 18, 2023, Sentinels head coach Adam Kaplan announced that TenZ would be temporarily benched due to illness and a hand injury.[11]

Personal life

Ngo, born on May 5, 2001,[12] is from Vancouver Island and is of Vietnamese and French descent.[1] He lived in Canada before moving to Los Angeles in January 2022.[8]

Ngo is currently engaged to Kyedae Shymko, a content creator associated with 100 Thieves. The couple announced their engagement in August 2022.[13][12]

Ngo stated in an interview that he had ADHD, but he did not fully address the disorder until he took a break from competitive Valorant.[14]

Ngo also revealed in a video published on the official Sentinels YouTube channel that he is protanomaly colorblind, and as a result uses yellow instead of red as his enemy highlight color in Valorant.[15]

Awards and nominations

Year Ceremony Category Result Ref.
2021 The Game Awards Best Esports Athlete Nominated [16]
Esports Awards Esports PC Player of the Year Nominated [17]
Esports PC Rookie of the Year Nominated
2022 The Streamer Awards Best FPS Streamer Nominated [18]
2023 Gamer of the Year Won [19]
2024 Best FPS Streamer Pending [20]

References

  1. ^ a b "About TenZ - Twitch". Twitch. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  2. ^ "About TenZ". YouTube.
  3. ^ "TenZ - Tyson Ngo". Cloud9. 2019. Tyson "TenZ" Ngo was one of the youngest players in the CS:GO community. He joined Cloud9 as a player for the CS:GO team in October 2019, moved to full time streaming in January 2020, and became Cloud9's first Valorant player.
  4. ^ Reames, Mitch (January 13, 2021). "Timeline of TenZ's tenure and transfer to Sentinels". Nerd Street.
  5. ^ Stubbs, Mike (April 29, 2020). "TenZ is Cloud9's first Valorant pro gamer". Red Bull.
  6. ^ Ziwei, Puah (January 13, 2021). "TenZ steps down from Cloud9 'Valorant' team and competitive play". NME.
  7. ^ Down, Aaron (June 2, 2021). "Sentinels permanently signs Valorant star TenZ for reported seven-figure sum". The Loadout. Network N.
  8. ^ a b Dacanay, Ralston (March 28, 2023). "'Everything feels different': TenZ explains how VALORANT plays on LAN". Dot Esports. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  9. ^ "Sentinels purchase TenZ's contract from Cloud9". Reuters. Field Level Media. June 2, 2021.
  10. ^ Geddes, George (April 21, 2022). "100 Thieves could've acquired TenZ for $2 million in 2021, says Cloud9 CEO". Dot Esports. Gamurs.
  11. ^ Richman, Olivia (April 19, 2023). "TenZ Finally Taking a Break Due to Injured Finger and Illness". Esports Illustrated. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Mustafa, Filiz (November 10, 2020). "Meet C9 Tenz' girlfriend - Kyedae". HITC. GRV Media.
  13. ^ Pineda, Carlos (August 16, 2022). "'To forever with you, my love': Kyedae and TenZ are now engaged". Spin.ph. GMA New Media.
  14. ^ Datuin, Sage (August 7, 2023). "It's Okay Not To Be Okay: How TenZ Is Learning To Move Forward Through Adversity". Esports Illustrated. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  15. ^ How TenZ sees VALORANT (colorblind), retrieved November 2, 2023
  16. ^ Morrow, Emily (December 9, 2021). "The Game Awards 2021: Here's the Complete List of Winners". Digital Trends.
  17. ^ Sacco, Dom (November 21, 2021). "Caedrel named Esports Analyst of the Year at 2021 Esports Awards, other finalists included UK talent and companies, with Odee, KalKal and more on the judging panel". Esports News UK. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  18. ^ Miceli, Max (February 22, 2022). "All nominees for QTCinderella's Streamer Awards". Dot Esports. GAMURS Group.
  19. ^ Polhamus, Blaine (February 20, 2023). "All 2023 Streamer Awards nominees". Dot Esports. Gamurs.
  20. ^ Richman, Olivia (January 25, 2024). "The Streamer Awards 2024 Nominees and Hosts Revealed". Esports Illustrated. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
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