Valorant Game Changers makes several changes to improve its ecosystem
Valorant's Game Changers is the official circuit that comprises women and marginalized genders. This is a year-long circuit very similar to VCT wherein players give it their all throughout the season to qualify for an international LAN event that takes place at the end of the year. Game Changers is one of the most unique aspects of Valorant esports. It is one that is absent from other title's esports and has seen a lot of success by setting viewership records in the past.
However, recently there have been many problems that have hindered its growth. Many organizations and pros have been leaving the GC scene because of sustainability issues.
To tackle this, Riot Games has implemented some changes to improve the scene. This article will talk in detail as to what those are.
The new additions and changes to Valorant Game Changers
One of the main goals of Valorant Game Changers has always been to support and smoothen their player's transition from GC to Challengers League or even the international stage. The in-game tournament system, Premier, will also have changes implemented towards this.
In Premier, the Game Changers team that meets specific ranked criteria will directly be promoted to the Invite division. On top of that, the GC players will also earn byes for themselves in matches other than the Playoffs if there is a scheduling conflict with an official GC match.
Another great change is that all the teams that qualify for the Game Changers Championship will have an automatic invitation to the tier two qualifier. This means that they will get a chance to compete directly for a spot in their regional Challengers League.
The Game Changers pros can now compete for both a GC team and a Collegiate team at the same time. In fact, these pros can now be signed by Challengers or an International League team at any time without any restrictions.
Due to this, organizations that already have a team in the Challengers League or the International League have also been allowed to have an additional team in the same leagues as long as the roster comprises at least 3/5 GC pros.
Lastly, Riot has also stated that the 2024 OFF//SEASON events will explore and invest in more mixed-gender tournaments. Along with this, the Valorant Game Changers Championship 2024 will have a total of 10 teams as opposed to eight teams in 2023. The additional two spots will be taken by a second Pacific team and a third EMEA team.
While there has been a lot of criticism towards the current state of Valorant's Game Changers recently, these new modifications show a lot of promise. Hopefully, these will positively impact the GC scene and continue to grow its ecosystem.
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