Riot Games Launches VALORANT Partnership Scheme For 2023
Riot Games has announced that it will be launching a partnership scheme for VALORANT in 2023. Selected organisations will partner with the developers in the VCT, to be included in fully-LAN international leagues and boast in-game branded content.
Kicking off in the VCT 2023 season, the new model intends to incorporate long-term partnerships with organisations by wavering entry fees to a select number of teams, ensuring the continued long-term stability of VALORANT's fast-growing esports ecosystem. The scheme will likely affect organisations that have already formed a significant following in VALORANT and pledge to maintain their relationship with the esport for years to come.
What Is The VALORANT Partnership Scheme?
Click to enlargeThe partnership scheme will see Riot Games launch an application process throughout 2022, where it will identify the "right" candidates to help grow and maintain the esports scene.
"We want to build the top level of competition that will provide more exciting matches, new events that will thrill live audiences, and engaging experiences for millions of online fans. We'll use everything we learned from the past 10 years with LoL Esports to build an ecosystem that will supercharge VALORANT into the next great multigenerational esport," said John Needham, President of Esports at Riot Games.
VCT 2023 Will Boast Three Fully-LAN International Leagues
To incorporate the new VALORANT Partnership, Riot Games will mimick the live events seen in League of Legends, by forming three international leagues all played on a LAN setting. Teams will be grouped into Asia, EMEA, and Americas, where they will all look to qualify for two global Masters events and the World Championships.
This will see North America and South America pool together in a LAN setting, sparking fierce rivalries, while the CIS and Central Europe scene will also be pooled together, much like the already existing Challengers competition. Over in Asia, the multi-regional system as we see it now will be scrapped at the top level, with the top teams in each existing region being pooled together - making this arguably the most important partnered region, with the developers' financial support.
New VALORANT Partners Will Boast In-Game Branded Content
All of the partnered VALORANT organisations will also be rewarded with in-game branded content, which will likely come in the form of weapon skins, gun buddies, and other customisation items that can be equipped to a fan's account to show their support.
"With VALORANT, we want to build today's most thrilling esport alongside the most well-managed, ambitious, and exciting teams in the industry," said Whalen Rozelle, Head of Esports Operations at Riot Games.
"Our aim is to free our partners to invest their resources in supporting their pros and growing their fanbases through creating incredible content for fans," he continued.
The scheme will be rolled out in 2023, allowing the current season to be concluded, although organisations will be keen to appear on the world stage as often as possible in the coming months in order to cement their case as a VALORANT partner.
