On April 25, Episode 6, Act 3 of Riot’s shooter Valorant started. The accompanying Battle Pass contains a special reward: a player title in memory of the late player Gizem “Luie” Harmankaya.
Who was the player? Gizem “Luie” Harmankaya was a Turkish e-sports player who had most recently played for the teams Galaktikos Sirens, Unknownpros Female, and Vivace Vista. In 2022, she participated in the Valorant Game Changers.
On February 8, 2023, the death of the 21-year-old was announced. Harmankaya died as a result of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria after being buried under the rubble for nearly 3 days.
Her death shook the Valorant community. Many fans and professional players honored Luie online, including the head of EMEA Game Changers and Riot Games Turkey.
Now players can commemorate the e-sports player with an in-game title.
Riot honors the memory of the late player
What kind of title is it? A player title bearing the name of the 21-year-old has been added to the Battle Pass of Episode 6, Act 3. These titles are displayed in lobbies and on the game loading screen under the player’s name.
How can you get the title? The “Gizem” title is included as a free reward in the Battle Pass. Players must reach level 5 in the Battle Pass to be able to secure the title.
What are the reactions? Jo-Ellen Aragon, the community manager of Valorant, shared the tribute on Twitter after the new Battle Pass went live on April 25. She called the title “a very special tribute.”
Players are responding emotionally: In the comments, there are numerous hearts, emojis, and Ws.
- Coach Vixie writes: “She was such a good player and it was always a pleasure to compete against her. She will be missed. Thank you for adding a tribute for her.”
- Ceren thanks: “That means so much to us. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
- Jojo states: “Maybe I’ll change my title from V.1 exceptionaly to this one.”
In particular, the fact that the title is included in the free version of the Battle Pass is well received.
Gizem “Luie” Harmankaya was the first professional player to be immortalized by name in Valorant, although the background is a sad one. In October 2022, the player “Corbin”, who had died of cancer, was honored with a Gun Buddy, a weapon charm. The Gun Buddy was also included in the free version of the Battle Pass.
