Jake “Boaster” Howlett’s journey to becoming one of VALORANT’s leading IGLs, most talented players and beloved personalities wasn’t a smooth ride. After four years of grinding competitive Counter-Strike, Boaster had to swallow the bitter pill that his CS career wasn’t moving in the direction he wanted.
He begrudgingly left the keyboard and mouse behind, picked up the camera and transitioned into a career as a full time vlogger. Perhaps that was the end for Boaster’s dream of becoming a professional esports player. And, after failing to kickstart a League of Legends career, it seemed he was completely out of options.
Then, in early 2020, Boaster caught wind that Riot Games was entering the FPS world. He went all in. He quit his job, returned to the mouse and keyboard, and dedicated his entire life to becoming a VALORANT pro.
In the end, it was the best decision he ever made.
So here is The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Boaster.
Boaster’s Rise
For those familiar with Boaster’s charismatic and extroverted personality, his background in musical theatre will come as no surprise. Ultimately, his aspirations of dancing, singing and acting didn’t come to fruition, so he turned to his second passion: gaming.
Boaster’s esports journey began with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in April of 2015. For years, he bounced around small UK organizations, playing at lesser known events with only the odd bit of success here and there. Yet, whether due to a lack of opportunities in the UK’s niche scene, fewer talented players to team up with or even perhaps not quite hitting the mark as a competitor, Boaster’s CS career never took off.
Experience The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Boaster by watching the video above or heading to Upcomer’s YouTube channel.
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