JessieVash will be away from the game for a while to recharge.
PHILIPPINES – Jessie Cristy “JessieVash” Cuyco has announced that he will be stepping back from competitive VALORANT and taking a break from competing with Team Secret. However, the 35-year-old further added that he is not retiring just yet and plans to stay active in the scene by continuing to play and stream, especially watching Team Secret’s matches.
“Right now I am feeling somewhat exhausted from the negative feedback from the community, particularly if it is not related to the game, so I feel like I have to step out to not affect the team and hopefully this break will help me get my energy back to compete again someday […]”
The announcement comes amidst major roster changes for Team Secret, with James “2GE” Goopio officially parting ways with the organization and Jeremy “Jremy” Cabrera moving to the inactive roster as he explores new opportunities as a restricted free agent.
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A true veteran of the Filipino esports scene, JessieVash has represented the country in multiple top-tier titles over the years, from Dota 2 and Overwatch to Mobile Legends and League of Legends. He joined Team Secret in September 2021 when the organization picked up the former Bren Esports VALORANT roster, which had qualified for VALORANT Masters Berlin that year but was unable to attend due to visa complications.
Shortly after, the team made their international debut at VALORANT Champions Berlin, their only major global appearance besides VCT LOCK//IN 2023.
Since then, Team Secret have struggled to return to the global stage. Their closest shot came during the VCT Pacific Last Chance Qualifier in 2023, where they fell short in the grand final to ZETA DIVISION, 1-3, missing out on Champions Los Angeles. The all-Filipino squad have consistently hovered around 5th-6th place in league standings since 2023, and their 2025 season has been especially rough, ending in last place in both the Kickoff and Stage 1 events.
Despite the team’s struggles, JessieVash continues to perform at a high level. He led the team in the Kickoff event with a 1.10 VLR rating and remains one of their most impactful players, only trailing Filipino rising star Adrian “invy” Reyes in stats for the five-week Stage 1 play.
At 35, he is one of the oldest active players in the global tier-one VALORANT scene—second only to NAVI’s Kyrylo “ANGE1” Karasov—but his individual game sense and firepower remain sharp, as seen when up against younger tier-one opposition in Pacific.
With JessieVash stepping back and taking a break for now, Team Secret are now down to just two active players: invy and Brheyanne “Wild0reoo” Reyes. The team’s next appearance is set for May 22-25 at the ACL 2025 EWC Pacific Qualifier, where two spots for Riyadh are up for grabs.
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Cover photo courtesy of VCT Pacific
