VCT EMEA 2023: Vision and Format

Dec 8, 2022

The VCT circuit was the gift that kept on giving for EMEA this year. With FPX walking away victorious from Masters Stage 2: Copenhagen, the squad proved that EMEA is not a region to be taken lightly. In addition to this, G2 Gozen walked away with the inaugural Game Changers Championship trophy, flexing on their competitors at the first ever global LAN for the circuit!

With the cold creeping in and the year coming to an end, you’re probably wondering what we have planned for the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA in 2023. As the competition continues to level up and the stakes get ever higher, we’re bringing the fire with a few new format changes that will help carry that 2022 momentum forward into 2023 and beyond.

The 2023 ecosystem consists of a few distinct layers. Firstly, our new in-game competitive system Premier, currently in alpha test (more information available here) and our local amateur circuits offer the chance to compete to all players. Sitting above this is Challengers (formerly known as VRLs), which now covers even more countries and regions, with the very best able to take part in the Ascension tournament for a chance to qualify for VCT. Finally, and our focus for today, is VCT EMEA. With EMEA’s best 10 teams taking part, VCT EMEA promises the highest level of competition, and is not to be missed!

Here’s our rundown of everything you need to know about VCT EMEA 2023; starting from the factors that shaped how we want this new season to pan out to the format changes you’ll see at the highest level.

Our Vision

Coming into 2023 we will continue to give the world’s greatest players a chance to shine, whilst also pushing them to the limits. Our competitions will be filled with fun and personality, but when the going gets tough, it’ll get tough. Fans will feel the sweet taste of victory, and the pangs of defeat, in what will be our most intense and action-packed season yet. 

To do this, we are creating the best space possible for talent to shine, for heroes to be forged, and for legends to be made. Individuals that light up the stage, which inspire, educate, and represent what the community is all about. Alongside this, we want to foster a healthy community environment for our existing players, offering a unique sense of belonging and identity within the world of VALORANT esports. Finally, we’re hoping to build upon existing storylines whilst also creating new ones. Specifically, we’re looking to help develop and build off rivalries within countries and within the region as a whole. All of this will be realized within the Messe Berlin Charlottenburg, the new home of VALORANT esports within EMEA

We want to attract players from across the globe to the EMEA circuit; there’s thrills, there’s entertainment and, most importantly, a family of equally passionate players that you can bounce ideas and debates off of. In EMEA there’s something for every single player, and we can’t wait to begin!

Format

We’re changing things up coming into 2023. The year starts with a global event to kick things off in São Paulo, which will see all International League teams across the three International Leagues  (VCT Americas, VCT EMEA, and VCT Pacific) face off for the first time!

Following this, the VCT EMEA International League will kick off in March at the Messe Berlin Charlottenburg. We are building a studio for fans - a place to witness the best clutches, the highs of victory, and the lows of defeat alongside each other.

The International League regular season will start soon after, with a single round robin format taking place over eight weeks, with match days on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with the exception of one super week. Playoffs will then follow, with a modified double elimination bracket featuring the top six teams. In June, top teams from around the world will face each other at Masters. The LCQ will then follow in July, and, of course, Champions to crown the best team of the 2023 circuit in August. Alongside the LCQ, July will also see the Ascension Tournament take place, where the winners of each Challengers League will compete for a coveted spot in the International League in 2024!

As VALORANT continues to blossom, so does our approach to its competitive ecosystem. Our goal is to enhance the competitive VALORANT experience, whilst channeling that hype that fans have grown so fond of.