TYLOO’s JamYoung nearly switched to VALORANT—now he’s a CS2 champion

Just almost a year ago, Yang “JamYoung” Yi wasn’t sure if he’d keep playing Counter-Strike. Now, the Chinese pro is holding a trophy in his hand and MVP honors to his name.

JamYoung was the undisputed star of TYLOO’s incredible run at Fissure Playground 1, the first notable event of the second CS2 season this year. He led the team to its first LAN title outside of Asia and made history by becoming the first Chinese player to win the HLTV x 1xBet MVP award, finishing the tournament with a jaw-dropping 1.40 rating, 1.23 kills per round, and 99.3 ADR.

But what makes this story even more remarkable is what happened months before.

Back in November 2024, JamYoung was benched from TYLOO’s CS2 main lineup. He then reportedly considered switching to Riot Games’ VALORANT. With China’s VALORANT scene on the rise, especially after EDward Gaming became world champs, it seemed like a logical next move.

JamYoung even tried out for TYLOO’s VALORANT team. However, it didn’t pan out, as he was reportedly turned down. But instead of giving up, he turned that rejection into motivation.

He returned to CS2 just two months later, and it didn’t take long for his impact to be felt. With him back in the lineup, TYLOO surged up the Valve Regional Standings (VRS), climbing from 87th to 7th in just six months. That run didn’t just mark a comeback; it shattered the team’s previous best world ranking of No. 10, which they last hit back in 2018 when they finished runner-up at IEM Shanghai.

JamYoung’s return was impressive, but it was his performance in the Fissure Playground 1 grand final that really sealed the deal. In TYLOO’s 3-1 upset over the heavily favored Astralis, JamYoung was on fire. He dropped stellar ratings of 1.84, 1.62, and 1.61 on Nuke, Mirage, and Ancient.

He also put up 99.3 ADR and 0.97 kills per round, topping it off with flashy clutches and multi-kills that had the crowd at the Sava Center cheering for him and his underdog team.

Now, all eyes are on what’s next. TYLOO will be back in action at IEM Cologne 2025, kicking off July 23, and with JamYoung in peak form, they might just make another deep run. From nearly switching games to dominating on the stage, JamYoung’s story is the kind of comeback arc we love to see in CS2.