THE VCT VIEWING EXPERIENCE IN 2022

Feb 17, 2022

Alongside this commitment to new competitions, we are committed to improving the fan experience of VCT, including creator-hosted Watch Parties, POV Streams, Partner Streams, as well as the Official Broadcasts - each providing new, interesting and varied ways of enjoying VALORANT esports.

These will all contribute to the viewing experience of Stage 1 competition (Feb 11 - Apr 10), whilst new formats or tweaks to each may be made in subsequent stages based on fan feedback.

But what do some of these mean? Below we take you through a few of these happening during Stage 1 of VCT EMEA.

OFFICIAL BROADCAST

• The main event. This is our primary broadcast for all the biggest matches in VCT Competition. This will often be fans' first point of call, as well as the place to catch your favourite on-air talent.
• In 2022, all our broadcasts will be in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, and Polish at a minimum. We are also working on adding more languages, especially for the high stake moments. Fans can check our social media for the updates.

CASTER OR PARTNER STREAMS

• These are Riot-commissioned broadcasts to cover matches not shown on our Official Broadcast, and will include official partners or on-air talent

WATCH PARTIES

• Our Watch Parties are Riot-sanctioned, but 100% hosted and curated by some of our favourite creators from across EMEA
• These spots are limited, and can change from tournament to tournament, not only focusing on creators with the largest numbers, but also those that can bring a new perspective or viewing experience for fans
• Where possible, all our Watch Party opportunities will cover the above seven languages, as well as Arabic, Italian and Portuguese creators.

POV STREAMS

• These are POV streams of our pro players (without team comms and with delay)
• These are only available during Qualifiers, whilst official broadcasts aren’t happening

WATCH PARTY ROSTER (Stage 1, Feb 11th - April 10th 2022)

A selection of creators approved to host Watch Parties during Stage 1 (covering Regular Season, Playoffs and Challengers Promotion Tournament) is below.

From the list, two to three creators per day, per language, will host a Watch Party throughout each tournament.

This is not an extensive list, and not all creators will stream on each day, so please stay tuned to the creator’s channels for updates on which days they will cover.

FAQ

Why have co-streams?

We believe these provide fans alternative ways of engaging with esports competitions - as well as allowing us to work with a larger pool of varied and interesting voices.

How do you select streamers for the Watch Parties?

Riot selects and approves hosts ahead of each stage of VCT competition (currently looking at those matches running from Feb 11th to April 10th). Whilst we do look at audience size, we also aim to balance hosts between core VALORANT fans, and newcomers, for breadth of appeal.

Why are Watch Parties limited?

We want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to watch VALORANT Esports in EMEA, however, limiting the total number of Watch Parties keeps this an exclusive product for those we work with, as well as allowing us to work with different creators each time that may bring a new perspective or way of presenting.

I’m a creator. How do I apply to a Watch Party?

Watch Party rosters for each stage of VCT and Game Changers tournaments are compiled at the start of each stage by our Influencer Managers. There is no public application process at the moment, and each is handled on a case by case basis.

I didn’t make the Watch Party roster, can I take part next time?

Yes. We make a fresh roster for each Stage. So your Riot IM contact can speak with you about future events too. The same applies the other way around, just because you’ve hosted a watch party before, you are not guaranteed the chance again, especially if we need to share opportunities with other creators.

Can pro players or teams take part in co-streams?

At the moment official team rosters are not eligible for watch parties but please keep in mind that this is a new product and we are not afraid to update our policies regularly.

Are these viewing experiences the same in every Riot region?

No. These ways of watching apply to Riot’s EMEA region only. Other regions may have different rules, partners or complexities that change the viewing experience.