Valorant Champions Tour 2024 has just been revealed, and as expected, changes have been made to the point system with the introduction of a new championship points system. Additionally, new teams have been added to the leagues, and approximately 40 teams are expected to compete throughout the season to become the best Valorant team in the world.
Three new teams, Bleed, G2, and Gentle Mates, have joined the Ascension league. Bleed has recruited YAY, once considered the best player in the world when he played with team Optic. Now, he’s back with Bleed Esports, competing from a completely new region. It will be interesting to see how he fares along with the rest of the newly introduced teams.
Championship Points Introduced
Teams will now be awarded points based on their performance. Using these points, one team from every region will progress towards the Masters. This new system aims to keep matches competitive, regardless of the team’s position in the league.
Teams will earn one point for every match they win in the league. The league winner from every region will earn an additional 3 points. The same applies to winners of the kickoff tournaments and the two Masters events. The teams with the highest points in each league receive a direct entry into Champions, the biggest tournament of the season.
Tournament Order and Breakdown
The first kickoff tournament kicks off between February 17th and March 2nd. The top two teams from every region get a direct entry into the 1st Masters event, set to take place in Madrid.
After the Madrid event, the international leagues kick off, and the top 3 teams from each league get a direct entry into Masters Shanghai in China, the second Masters event of the year.
Once the 2nd Masters event is completed, the next phase will be the International League Stage 2. The top 3 teams of each league, along with an extra fourth team, will get to participate in the biggest Valorant tournament of 2024 – Champions 2024.
In previous years, Riot selected the 4th team based on the Last Chance Qualifiers tournament, but this time it’s based on the newly introduced championship points.
POV: You're about to play in the new Riot Games Arena
— VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA (@valesports_emea) January 11, 2024
What to expect?
Compared to last year, teams have a lot more at stake with each game they play. Now, teams have to fight in every match and earn that extra championship point. The fight for the 4th spot using the new system is going to be really interesting, and we might even see some underdog teams making it to the very top.
From a viewer’s perspective, the Last Chance Qualifiers allowed us to see more matches broadcasted. With the new system in place, though, we’ll probably be getting a lesser number of matches. Every match counts towards championship points, and that will lead to teams playing with more intensity, irrespective of where they are in the league. One or two championship points might make the difference in determining who makes it to Champions 2024.
Valorant has been relatively quiet in terms of esports action, and now we finally have a concrete idea of how the scene is going to unfold throughout 2024. Watch out for major transfers between teams, as everyone is set to announce their roster before the season kicks off.
