Perhaps you're new to the game or are looking to expand your knowledge of the esports scene and are confused by the term IGL. Fret not, we're here to help!
Having someone that can command a team, whether you're playing ranked or competing at the highest level, is key to success. In a tactical shooter such as Valorant, in which positioning, utility usage, and knowing your opponent's patterns are crucial to victory - this is where the IGL comes in.
If you're new to the competitive scene or are confused by what this term actually means, don't worry, we'll help you understand what an IGL means - starting by what the word stands for. IGL is short for "in-game leader," essentially a sort of team captain that can make calls during the course of each round.
What Does An IGL Do?
Think about it as the player wearing the captain's armband in a football team. Sure, there's tons of work behind the scenes by coaching staff designated to come up with broad strategies and comps on a map basis, but having a strong IGL can determine if a team manages to adapt to certain situations they were unprepared for.
So in essence, an in-game leader will take decisions at a microlevel - is your team committing to pushing A or going for a rotation to B? What Ultimates will they use to take or defend sites this round? Stuff of the sort.
If you're looking to become an IGL yourself, do keep in mind certain things. First up, don't micromanage every single situation, trust your team to make the correct decisions based on feedback you provide.
Another important thing is to always keep comms as clean as possible. Don't dwell too much on unimportant stuff like how the opposing Jett is cheating because there's no shot she caught your lurk. Instead, simply state: "Jett coming from Sewers, did 80 (damage)."
Finally, be positive, toxicity can spread so quickly, and keeping a light mood can truly be the difference between a win or a loss, especially in ranked.
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