Joshua “steel” Nissan is known for his incredible FPS skills and his equally impressive humor. His talent and personality have made him a well-known figure in the FPS community.
“I’ve been competing in FPS for 13 years. I’m a boomer,” steel said after being signed to T1’s VALORANT roster last year.
He’s not wrong. As far as competitive esports players go, steel is considered a boomer in the community. In fact, sounds like a very familiar plotline from a show starring a Jewish esports veteran…
The 32-year-old started his career in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, playing for top tier teams like iBUYPOWER as well as Ghost Gaming and Chaos Esports Club. steel was one of the incredible talents to make an early jump to VALORANT when Riot’s FPS was initially launched, playing for 100 Thieves and then for T1 as an in-game leader (or IGL).
“Josh has a really impressive record as an IGL,” T1 Head Coach David Denis said. “We really wanted a strong leader, a strong voice, someone that could bring a lot of direction to the team.”
Despite being a “boomer,” steel has continued to prove himself as a top player throughout his VALORANT career. While with 100 Thieves, steel placed 1st at the VALORANT Champions Tour 2021: North America Stage 2 Challengers 1, then 3rd at VCT 2021: NA Stage 3 Challengers 1, 2nd at VCT 2021: NA Stage 3 Challengers Playoffs, and ultimately placed 3-4th at the VCT 2021: Stage 3 Masters in Berlin.
The VALORANT Champions Tour 2022 is rapidly approaching with steel looking to prove himself in his new role as IGL for T1. The team is showing some great potential but the squad is anxiously awaiting the big stage.
Meanwhile, steel has also been streaming on Twitch. He also creates videos for his YouTube channel. On social media, steel largely discusses his career as a VALORANT pro as well as his journey in ranked. He doesn’t often talk about his personal life, although he has opened up about being Jewish in the past before he became a more prominent figure in the esports community.
“News flash: I am indeed Jewish. Did I disappoint you guys again? Shame,” steel tweeted facetiously back in 2014.
These days, however, steel is focused on discussing his new role as IGL for T1. He recently had an interview with Dexerto where he opened up about his team and playstyle. According to steel, he has a unique calling style and structure that creates “an environment that gives people individual autonomy” while they work to achieve a common goal.
Said steel: “I am confident that I will be able to elevate the new team to new heights because I have the support of the org and of the players.”