VALORANT: Team Secret’s “Tondo Gaming” – What does it mean?

Team Secret has been making waves in Valorant tournaments, especially after they brought back “Tondo Gaming” in the current VCT Pacific series. Although a lot of Team Secret’s supporters are Filipinos, there are international fans who may be clueless as to why casters and Filipino fans are praising Team Secret for pulling off this kind of gameplay. If you are wondering what Team Secret’s “Tondo Gaming” means in Valorant tournaments, then you’ve come to the right place! We’re here to explain just what exactly this play is and why it’s becoming one of Team Secret’s signature plays. Stay with us!

What does “Tondo Gaming” mean when Team Secret play in VALORANT tournaments?

Team Secret has been taking the professional side of Valorant like a storm. From their coordinated gameplays to eliminating enemy agents in style, it’s no secret that Team Secret is a team you shouldn’t mess with. Although they have already been popular as a pro team, Team Secret is getting more attention because of their “Tondo Gaming” playstyle.

TONDO GAMING IS BAAAAACK @Secret_JcVash 🔪#LabanSecret #ItLiesWithin pic.twitter.com/A3soQoLc8H

— Team Secret (@teamsecret) April 2, 2023

If you’re not from the Philippines, it’s easy to see how this can confuse you. For starters, the word “Tondo” does not mean anything in the English language. It’s actually a place in Manila, Philippines. It’s iconic because it has the highest crime rate in the country, so you probably already have a hint about what “Tondo Gaming” means.

• When someone from Team Secret manages to kill an enemy agent using their melee weapon, a lot of their fans immediately burst in excitement. Following that, clips of Team Secret’s melee kills would make rounds on social media.
• In the comments section of every clip, there’s bound to be a fan who comments “TONDO GAMING!!!” under the video. That’s because Tondo is notorious for crimes being executed with ice picks or knives.

Sheesh #Tondogaming @PlayVALORANT vid compilation! Thank you @Tyabiwap for this 😎 pic.twitter.com/1WeIqlaaRt

— Secret Jessievash (@Secret_JcVash) April 9, 2023

• Aside from ice picks or knives, the term “gripuhan” (gripo means faucet in English) is also popular in Tondo. That’s because victims usually don’t realize they’re struck with a sharp object in their sides.
• Similar to how these crimes take place in Tondo, Team Secret sneakily eliminate agents from the enemy team with their melee weapons.

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Neon has a voice line which seemingly acknowledges “Tondo Gaming”

Team Secret’s “Tondo Gaming” is even funnier because of Neon’s voice line during the Buy Phase. Neon literally says: “Ingat ka, don’t get stabbed. Bad way to go.” Of course, getting stabbed is really a bad way to go. Although this might be a coincidence, it’s enough to make us giggle.

https://youtu.be/2iFQcAHyFBU?t=55

Did her character designer already have the idea of Tondo in their head? Or is Neon speaking in general when she says this voice line? Maybe sometime in the near future, we’ll get more about Neon’s backstory. It’s only recently that we found out this electrifying agent is from Taguig, Philippines!

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Is Team Secret being disrespectful when they do this in professional tournaments?

Now that we’ve explained what Team Secret’s “Tondo Gaming” means, there might be some who wonder if this is disrespectful to the enemy team. There are a number of disrespectful gestures in FPS games like Valorant, yes. However, it’s not disrespectful for Team Secret to kill their enemies with melee attacks.

An offer you can't refuse.

The Adobo Gang is here. See you in the #VCT Pacific League 🏴🏳️

🇵🇭 JessieVash
🇵🇭 DubsteP
🇵🇭 BORKUM
🇵🇭 Jremy
🇵🇭 invy
🇸🇬 lenne
🇺🇸 Warbirds#ItLiesWithin pic.twitter.com/ALZUDjW0TQ

— Team Secret (@teamsecret) December 20, 2022

• The option to attack enemies with your melee weapon is there for a reason, right? Think about that bulky and annoying Odin. A lot of players absolutely hate it when their enemies have an Odin equipped. It’s annoying but at the same time, it’s not disrespectful.
• Team Secret’s “Tondo Gaming” is not only entertaining but also impressive. It’s not every day that you can get a melee kill in a Valorant match.
• If you’re going in for a melee kill, the enemy team could easily shoot you down. Attacking enemies with your melee weapon is a risk you should calculate carefully.

Image Courtesy of Team Secret via Twitter

Team Secret just does a good job at executing these plays, thus making for an impressive “Tondo Gaming” moment. It’ll be exciting to see just how far they will come in the Pacific series for the on-going Valorant Champions Tour.

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What was your favorite “Tondo Gaming” moment from the team? And which team are you rooting for in the on-going VCT Pacific series? Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below! For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.

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