This year-long tournament will kick off the ranked season in 2021 and will take place at three levels worldwide. Valorant is a 5v5 tactical shooter made by the developers of League of Legends. And so far this year, it has seen tremendous growth as an esport.
The round begins at the “Challengers” level, where almost any group of players can compete in their respective districts to secure a spot in the next stage. Master events are international competitions where only the best teams from each region can compete. There are three Masters events that will take place in 2021, with an official date yet to be announced. In Master events, teams will win rankings that determine who will participate in the Champions event at the end of 2021.
There are only 16 teams in the Champions event. So the teams that go this far will be the best of the best from all over the world.
“The Champions Tour will be our next step towards transforming Valorant into a global esports sport worthy of the passion of our fans,” said Whalen Rozelle, Senior Director of Esports at Riot Games. “We've spent several months talking to players, teams, fans, prospective partners and other stakeholders, and we're extremely excited to kick off our first official season. Our focus will be to celebrate and showcase the creative and talented players who have shaped this game around the world. Fans and players alike wanted fierce competition, and the Valorant Champions Tour was designed to do just that. "
The idea is that any team can rise from the Challenger ranks to the Championship. This will unquestionably provide a better global competitive experience. League of Legends has a very good tournament system and the Valorant Champions Tour is just the beginning of Valorant leveling up. Also, Riot is partnering with Red Bull and Secretlab in the tournament's first year. This will help provide some much needed funding to the ambitious project.
