Riot Games has kickstarted VALORANT’s Esports scene with the announcement of the 2021 VCT, which will let teams all over the world compete with each other in an open qualifier style.
In the beginning, Riot hinted that they wanted to avoid meddling with the VALORANT Esports scene too much, as they wanted the scene to grow organically. However, all of that was thrown out of the window with the announcement of the championship tour.
These tournaments will be Riot-backed events and will let these teams earn extra points that will make them eligible to enter the main event at the end of each year, similar to how the League of Legends World Championship system works.
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Riot Chooses LPL to Host VALORANT Tournaments
Oceanic Esports tournament organizer and broadcasting media company LetsPlay.Live (LPL) has been chosen to be the official partner in bringing players to the 2021 VALORANT Oceania Tour.
VALORANT Oceania Tour Prize Pool
For the first time, VALORANT players in the Oceanic region will be able to compete for an opportunity to play at the international level. The tournament, beginning in February, will run in three stages: Stage 01, Stage 02, and Stage 03. Each stage will end with a regional final, which in turn will culminate in the Oceania Championship. Each stage offers an AUD 10,000 prize pool for the top 8 teams, and the Championship offers an additional AUD 20,000 prize pool.
VALORANT Oceania Tour Schedule
The 2021 VALORANT Oceania Tour begins with the VALORANT Challengers OCE-Stage 01 Open Qualifier running from February 2–February 14, 2021. Registrations are now open to teams composed of residents of Oceania. Players can find more information on registration, eligibility, and the tournament here.
The 2021 VALORANT Oceania Tour will serve as the official pathway for players in the region to qualify for the combined NA + OCE Last Chance Qualifier, which offers competitors the opportunity to qualify for the VALORANT Global Championship event. LetsPlay.Live will lead registration, operations, and production of each stage of competitive play, as well as the Oceania Championship.
LPL’s Founder Shared Their Plan for the Region
LPL’s founder and managing director, Duane Mutu, is excited to bring more international opportunities to Oceania-based players. “To be kicking off the year by partnering with Riot Games to bring Oceania official VALORANT pathways is phenomenal. LPL is excited to be offering an international avenue for our region’s players in 2021 and to be showcasing teams through broadcast for fans of VALORANT worldwide.”
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