Good news for fans of competitive VALORANT and its lower-tier scene! Riot Games has announced some exciting changes coming to the Challengers system in the upcoming year.
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The biggest update is the shift to a year-round Challengers league. This means that even after the main Champions event, there will be ongoing league matches starting in 2024. This change is aimed at giving players more chances to compete and improve their skills. Additionally, Riot plans to introduce a new program for Challengers teams and a system where top-tier teams can loan players to lower-tier teams in the international VCT leagues.
In 2023, the Challengers leagues created a lot of excitement and attracted many viewers in certain regions. However, numerous fans and teams in the lower-tier VALORANT scene were unhappy with the very short schedule of events. Some teams found themselves without any matches to play for nearly half a year, leading to organizations releasing their rosters.
Earlier, in June, Leo Faria, who heads VALORANT esports globally, had promised a year-round competition for Challengers starting from the 2024 season.
Although the exact details of the expanded Challengers calendar for 2024 are not yet fully determined, one confirmed change is the relocation of the Ascension tournament to September, following the conclusion of the Champions event. This shift is expected to make the Ascension tournament even more prominent, according to Riot officials.
Riot has also allowed partnered teams in the international VCT leagues to form affiliations with Challenger League teams. This new partnership system permits them to freely exchange players. In simple terms, higher-tier teams in VCT will have the flexibility to bring up players from their affiliate Challengers league.
In summary, exciting changes are on the horizon for VALORANT’s competitive scene. The year-round Challengers league and the affiliation system will provide more opportunities for players and teams to compete, develop their skills, and create a more dynamic esports ecosystem.
