I was fortunate to take on the role of Art Director and Graphical Team Lead for FOKUS Clan in Cologne during this incredible event. Alongside my team and colleagues from the Concept and Content departments, we created an event identity that I genuinely believe was the coolest I’ve worked on in a long time—and, without a doubt, the best of the tournament.

The idea was clear from the start: we wanted to stage the entire event and tournament like an underground heist movie. Every visual and story element was crafted to bring this concept to life, and seeing it all come together was incredibly exciting.

The process itself was a mix of fun and pressure. The event date coincided with the signing of our new Valorant team, which meant producing a massive amount of content in a short time. The first task was creating announcement animations for all the players and coaches, as well as an additional animation to announce our spot in the tournament. I’m particularly proud of these animations because they allowed me to step outside my usual roles. I didn’t just handle the 3D animation and sound design—I also voiced the “Crew Leader” character from the event’s storyline, using ElevenLabs to transform my voice and fully immerse it into the heist theme.

The community response was incredible. From the first announcements to the final updates of the tournament run, fans loved the entire project. While the FOKUS Valorant team faced tough competition on the field, our visuals and storytelling reached an international audience, leaving a lasting impression despite the challenges.

This project was a wild ride, and it’s one I’ll always look back on with pride. It was an opportunity to combine creativity, collaboration, and narrative in a way that truly stood out.