International Women’s Day Interview with Ness

Mar 6, 2023

Neslişah "Ness" Demir currently plays for Guild X. Her VALORANT career started in 2020, where she immediately showed her potential on Oxxygen Esports - that year the team made top 3 for all 3 Game Changers EMEA series. After a brief tenure at Futbolist Female, Ness was picked up by Guild X in August 2021, who went on to win the 2022 Game Changers EMEA Series 3 just 2 months later. Ness proved just how clutch she could be, being crowned MVP after averaging an impressive 232 ACS throughout the tournament.

It takes something special to compete at such a high level and we sat down with Ness to find out more about her career, her inspirations, playing in Game Changers, and her advice to women who are also interested in pursuing a career as a professional player:

Q: When did you start playing VALORANT, and at what point did you realize that playing at a professional level was possible?

Ness: I started playing VALORANT when it was first released. With how much Riot cares about the players, it was very obvious from the start that female players could also steer towards the professional esports player path.

Q: International Women’s Day focuses largely on having a sense of belonging, do you feel this as a player competing in Game Changers?

Ness: Yes, I do feel belonging because of the efforts of those running Game Changers, because of my teammates supporting me everyday, and because of all the women in the scene who are working very hard everyday. Everyone does a lot for the Game Changers scene and we are growing together.

Q: Are there any women within Game Changers or esports as a whole that have inspired you on your journey thus far?

Ness: When I was 16 years old, I had been watching Mimi and Petra. They inspired me to think that I can be as good as them. Watching them and seeing how they play made me realise I can be at the same level if I work hard.

Q: What would your advice be to other women interested in going pro in VALORANT?

Ness: I would say that they should believe in themselves. Even when you fall down, you have to believe that you can be a better player. Being confident is what makes a player dangerous. You always have to believe you can make it. VALORANT is such a big opportunity to prove yourself while being supported by your peers.