Daniel Abedrabbo shares his experience

Daniel “Rossy” Abedrabbo, the former In-Game Leader (IGL) for Cloud9’s VALORANT team, has recently given the public an account of what transpired leading to his exit from the team. This happened not long before the 2025 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) season started. He spoke in an open, honest manner during a podcast, revealing his own experiences. His stories provide insights on potential interpersonal conflicts, personal responsibilities, and other challenges within the esports profession.

Rossy’s journey with Cloud9

Rossy’s relationship with Cloud9 started in September 2024. This happened when the organization invited him to undergo an assessment of his skills alongside Victor “v1c” Truong. The evaluation was set to happen over a course of seven days. Truong and Abedrabbo would have to prove their capabilities and competitiveness throughout this duration to validate their potential as members of Cloud9’s VALORANT team.

The complexities of team dynamics

Being part of a team, especially in professional esports, brings with it inherent challenges and complexities. These include understanding the different behaviors, attitudes, and play styles of team members. Rossy made it clear through his narrative that he had to experience and navigate these elements. He had to make efforts to foster harmonious interpersonal relationships and a conducive team ambiance within Cloud9.

Personal accountability within professional esports

Along with revealing the team dynamics, Rossy also opened up about the concept of personal accountability within the sphere of professional esports. Each player in a team has to shoulder not just their own tasks and roles, but also, must also bear the weight of their own errors and slip-ups. Players must have the ability to recognize these mistakes and rectify them for the entire team to succeed. This sometimes causes high-pressure situations, which can contribute to a player’s decision to leave the team, as was the case with Rossy.

The challenges of professional esports

The world of professional esports carries a lot of pressure. It demands an immense level of skill, endurance, and mental strength. The players are expected to stay on the top of their game throughout the competitive season. Any tumbles in their performance or break in their focus could have major consequences on the team’s overall standing. These challenges weighed heavily on Rossy, as they do all esports professionals, eventually leading him to part ways with Cloud9 just weeks before the 2025 VCT season.