Riot Games is expanding the competitive Valorant scene to a global level with the VALORANT Champions Tour in 2021.
This year-long tournament will kick off the competitive season in 2021 and take place at three levels across the globe. VALORANT is a 5v5 tactical shooter from the developers of League of Legends, and so far this year, it has had tremendous growth as an esport. The tour begins at the Challengers level, where just about any group of players can compete within their region to secure a spot at the next stage. The Master's events are international competitions where only the best teams from each region can compete. There are three Masters events set to take place in 2021 with no official dates being announced quite yet. At the Master's events, teams will earn seeding which determines who is going to make it to the Champions event at the end of 2021.
Introducing the official global circuit for professional @PlayVALORANT competition // Welcome to the 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour. pic.twitter.com/AIhlpmnvQl
— Valorant Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) November 24, 2020
There are only 16 slots available at the Champions event, so teams that make it this far will be the best of the best from around the globe. “The Champions Tour is our next step to grow VALORANT into a global esport worthy of the passion of our fans,” said Whalen Rozelle, Senior Director of Esports at Riot Games. “We've spent a couple of years now talking to players, teams, fans, prospective partners, and other stakeholders, and we're extremely excited to launch our first official season. Our focus will be on elevating and showcasing the creative and talented players who are shaping this game across the globe. Fans and players both wanted high stakes competition, and that's what the VALORANT Champions Tour is designed to do.” The idea is that any team can rise from the ranks of Challenger to Champion, and to provide a global competitive experience. League of Legends has Worlds, and the Valorant Champions Tour is the start of Valorant getting on the same level. Riot is partnering with Red Bull and Secretlab for the first year of the tournament providing some much-needed funding to the ambitious project.
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