Starting with Thunder: Riot shores up competitive scene with series of 3rd party tournaments ahead of VCT 2023

Champions 2022 has concluded, and with it, comes the chaos and uncertainty of the off-season. On the 21st of September, Riot announced the 30 teams that would be representing the new face of competition at the international level under their partnership program. As new teams form and players shuffle between benches and new rosters, we the viewers, are left to twitch and wait in eager anticipation for how it will all eventually unfold.

This ‘rostermania’ so dubbed, will certainly introduce new and long-time fans of the esport to a very different field of battle in 2023. Meanwhile, foreseeing the agony of inaction and feverish excitement, Riot Games has announced a new series of tournaments during this crucial formation period: ‘Valorant OFF//SEASON’

‘Valorant OFF//SEASON’ represents the culmination of Riot Games partnering with a multitude of esports organizations around the world to create a ‘window for organized competition,’ with the goal being to ‘answer [fan] speculations’ on which teams are making ‘superior moves’, get an early peek on ‘new rivalries’ as well as allow for Tournament Organizers (TOs) to ‘experiment with new formats’

These tournaments will thereby include a combination and/or mixture of pro players, content creators, influential personalities, and aspiring amateurs. With that said, I have listed below all the tournaments for the ‘Valorant OFF//SEASON’:

 

AMERICAS REGION OFF//SEASON

 

Vava BTS Sunset (Brazil) [[30 Sep - 9 Oct]]

Produced by Beyond the Summit, one of the world’s largest esports networks.

 

G4 Rumble [[1 Oct]]

A battle of content creators with a prize pool of $20k and bragging rights on the line.

 

Copa Rakin (Brazil) [[25 Oct - 4 Dec]]

7th edition of one of the most historic influencer tournaments in Brazil. R$30k prize pool.

 

Spike Series Invitational (Brazil) [[5-11 Nov]]

R$20k prize pool.

 

BoomTV [[8-13 Nov]]

8 invited pro teams and 4 qualified teams, featuring t he inaugural trial of the Agent Pick/Ban format.

 

VALORANT Latam Gods [[28 Nov – 4 Dec]]

Invitational tournament involving 4 teams in Santiago, Chile. Live audience with activities to participate.

 

Knights Arena VALORANT Freezeout (NA) [[15 Dec - 18 Dec]]

A partnered event that features 256 teams and a single elimination bracket in Bo3 format. It will also feature Agent drafting, meaning no mirror matchups! $25k prize pool.

 

Ludwig x Tarik Invitational (NA) [[14-15 Jan 2023]]

First event to kick off the 2023 season, bringing together the best Valorant teams and biggest Valorant content creators in the world. Best international pro Valorant team to be crowned there, alongside creator exhibition matches featuring the likes of Ludwig, Tarik and more.

 

 

PACIFIC TERRITORY OFF//SEASON

 

TEC Challenger Series [[29 Sep – 13 Oct]]

$30k prize pool for South Asia and Southeast Asia teams to compete.

 

TEN 5_Valorant Korea vs. Japan [[3 Oct]]

A spicy revenge match from VCT Masters 2 between DRX (KR) and Northeption (JP) in a Bo3 format with pride and honor at stake at the Busan Esports Arena (BRENA).

 

Valorant India Invitational by Galaxy Racer (GXR) [[14 Oct – 20 Nov]]

Featuring top international teams in a new format, not to be missed!

 

Penta Pro Series – Valorant [[28 Oct – 18 Dec]]

South Asia (SA) and Southeast Asia tournament consisting of 3 phases: regional qualifiers, playoffs, and finale (in Bengaluru).

 

TEN 5_Valorant Special Match [[4 Nov]]

Taking place within the Busan Esports Arena (BRENA), a series of highly competitive matches involving the best teams from Asia.

 

Gwangju Esports Series (GES) Asia [[26-27 Nov]]

Tournament organized by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the city of Gwangju {operated by Gwangju Information and Content Agency (GICON) and Asia eSports Center}. 4 teams will be invited to represent Asia in a Bo3 single elimination format. Live audience, interactive events for fans and a global camp will also be included!

 

Afreeca TV SEA Invitational [[29 Nov – 4 Dec]]

Invitational week-long event to crown best SEA team.

 

WCG Rivals – Valorant: Korea vs. Japan [[16 Dec]]

Sub tournament featuring competition between rivaling countries or organizations, with invited Valorant influencers and professionals competing for national pride and a cash prize.

 

 

EMEA TERRITORY OFF//SEASON EVENTS

 

Crossfire Cup Mediamarkt e Intel $20k [[3 Oct – 12 Nov]]

 

VALORANT REGIONAL League Türkiye Invitational [[3-9 Oct]]

 

VALORANT REGIONAL League Dach Evolution: Unity [[3 Oct- 18 Dec]]

Offline tournament produced by Freaks 4U Gaming GmbH, with finals played at Dreamhack Hannover, Germany.

 

Red Bull Home Ground 2022 [[7 Oct – 11 Dec]]

One-of-a-kind Invitational involving several of the world’s most elite teams in a unique format.

 

BME Superdome [[13-22 Oct]]

International championship born in Egypt, featuring the top MENA and EMEA teams. $30k grand prize.

 

G-Loot VALORANT Clash [[21 Oct – 27 Nov]]

Clash between several of the best Valorant pro EMEA teams over 6 weeks.

 

Coupe de France [[27 Oct – 12 Dec]]

Online tournament with live audience finals.

 

Lyon e-Sport [[11-13 Nov]]

32-team tournament with 15K EUR prize pool.

 

Image credit: Riot Games Valorant