Valorant has been growing incredibly fast in its second year of esports progresses steadily. When Riot announced the shooter back in 2020 it was incredibly obvious that Riot would give the game a large and sustainable competitive scene and it came to reality in 2021. It’s crazy to think that Valorant is not even 2 years old and it already has gathered such a massive fanbase.
Just recently, we got the opportunity to watch the VCT 2022 Stage 1 Masters unfold in Reykjavik where North American team OpTic Gaming managed to win the whole thing. And the best thing of all is that we still have a lot of regional tournaments coming soon and there are 2 remaining Masters left to be played this year. VCT keeps delivering exciting matches for all the FPS lovers out there.
Riot Games has been delivering constant updates on how the game is evolving. They are always talking about the state of the competitive scene and its health. If the VCT wasn’t enough for you in the past year and a half, Riot is bringing even more action and international play to all the fans in the world. Let’s dive into the details of what’s coming for Valorant esports in 2013.
International Leagues and domestic leagues
“Want more to watch? You got it. In 2023, we’re introducing entirely new premier-level leagues that will see the best players in the world compete in international competition for spots at our global events. By creating regular competition that spans multiple regions, we expect to see some new rivalries that span global borders. Teams at this level will be long-term partners of the VALORANT esports ecosystem, and fully invested in creating the best fan experience possible.”
Riot wants to promote the highest level of Valorant. They are planning to introduce three leagues around the world that will include teams from multiple regions based on their geographic location. One league will feature North American, Latin American, and Brazilian teams. Another one will feature SEA, Korea, Japan, South Asia, and Oceania. The third one will have European, Russian, Turkish and MENA teams participating.
But this doesn’t mean that domestic leagues are gone. The VCT Challengers we all know and love will evolve into a better form. These leagues will also be integrated with the in-game tournament mode, making it more accessible for the rising talent. We’ve seen the initial plans for domestic leagues with VRLs in Europe, now we’ll see similar leagues launch in other regions in 2023.
Riot also says that the global tournaments we all know aren’t going anywhere. Multiple premier-level global competitions will take place each year with the top teams from international leagues competing at Masters and Champions events, while Game Changes continues to have a Championship Event. They add that playing in front of a live audience is very important for them. Riot is working on how to make this a safe reality for this year and for upcoming Valorant tournaments.
Be sure to stay tuned as we’ll keep covering all the news regarding Valorant Esports in 2023 and what Riot is planning to bring in the upcoming months!
