Riot Games has outlined some major changes to how the esports scene in Valorant will work in 2023, as it will waive entry and participation fees for “selected organisations”.
Announced today (April 28), Valorant‘s competitive scene will see major changes in its 2023 season. This includes the introduction of “long-term partnerships” with certain esports teams and organisations, which means no entry fees for a select number of them.
According to Riot, it will be launching new features and events to support the initiative, including three new international leagues of week-over-week competition between the world’s best teams, composed from the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
These teams will compete throughout the year to qualify for two international Masters events and Valorant Champions, where only one team will be crowned the World Champion.
A new competitive game mode will also be added to Valorant, which will be available to all players. This is designed to identify the best talent and “act as a supplement to existing leaderboards” to provide players with a new goal above ranked play that integrates with the esports ecosystem.
“With Valorant, we want to build today’s most thrilling esport alongside the most well-managed, ambitious, and exciting teams in the industry. We have designed our long-term partnership model for Valorant so teams can thrive and build their business alongside the overall growth of Valorant esports,” said Whalen Rozelle, head of esports operations at Riot Games.
New domestic leagues will also be launched that will expand opportunities for new talent. Top teams from the in-game competitive mode will have the opportunity to compete against the best from their region within their respective domestic leagues.
Riot Games also revealed that throughout this year, it will operate a selective application process to identify the right long-term partners and provide them with financial support.
In other news, the latest Valorant patch adds new character Fade and nerfs Jett.
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