It Gets Better: Valorant LOCK//IN São Paulo tournament to include more teams reportedly

Following prolific reports and leaks from independent leaker BoDork, speculation now surrounds the LOCK//IN event slated to happen in São Paulo on the 13th of Feb. Originally scheduled to include the 30 partnered teams as a debut tournament to kick off the new VCT format in 2023, new information suggests teams EDWard Gaming and FPX could possibly be joining the tournament as late entries, bringing the total to 32 teams.

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Currently the two largest Valorant organizations in China, and also the most established with pre-existing rosters. Extremely likely that both will become new additions to LOCK//IN

General Excitement

The VCT LOCK//IN event in Brazil, was originally slated to include the 30 partnered teams only, however, a recent development in China has potentially changed all of that. On the 28th of Dec, it was announced that Valorant, amongst other Tencent titles, have been approved and given a game license for distribution and sales within China.

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While the region has already produced a handful of teams and talents despite restrictions, this allows larger Chinese gaming organizations, who had previously been hesitant to enter the fray, to begin recruitment in earnest. The two largest names to begin recruitment, have been EDWard Gaming, and FPX. The former has competed on the world stage at Champions 2022, with their debut match against SEA favorites Paper Rex breaking viewership records.

China’s Reign Begins Here

The latter has gained acclaim for their Europe-based main team, who have since moved on to Natus Vincere. Currently, FPX still has their academy team attached, entitled FPX ZHUQUE, however, in the wake of the announcements on the gaming license, FPX was the first team to begin recruitment.

According to reports and speculation, FPX is looking to recruit for their newly forming Chinese Valorant roster, however, it is currently unknown if they are looking to merge new recruits with their pre-existing academy roster or completely revamp their team. Recruitment for FPX currently states a requirement of being at least 17 years old, Immortal 3, and at least a 1.2KD.

Moreover, according to BoDork, multiple other Chinese organizations are also making moves now in the wake of the restriction lift. According to his sources, the organizations mentioned include:

• LGD Gaming
• LNG Esports (Li-Ning Gaming)
• Rare Atom
• Billi Billi
• Top Esports
• Ultra Prime

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All of these organizations currently field rosters in the LPL, the competitive pro league for League of Legends in China. Moreover, it has been reported that the former KONE players as well as Crossfire and OW2 players have been targeted for recruitment. KONE has consistently placed as one of the top teams behind EDWard Gaming in the burgeoning Chinese Valorant space. Crossfire is also the most popular FPS game in China as the moment, and the transition of top players from both it and the OW2 scene could translate into real talents entering a rapidly growing arena.

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More news to follow as updates occur, stay tuned

Image credit: Riot Games Weibo