Riot Games made a statement confirming their collaboration with Esports World Cup. The developers also shared their plans for the future development of Valorant esports.

Riot Games intends to open doors for new third-party tournament operators. These events will ensure the constant presence of matches throughout the year. They will create new exciting interregional championships. They will be an opportunity for new players and tier-2 teams to showcase their skills on the global stage. The developers promised to provide more detailed information in the coming months.

What this statement means for the Valorant esports scene:

At the end of 2024, organizations and teams that were at the tier-2 level began actively leaving the Valorant pro-scene. This was because the developers did not sufficiently support tier-2 teams financially and there were very few tournaments. 

Previously, the Valorant esports scene was left by teams such as:

• Imperium Gaming – The Spanish organization disbanded their Valorant team, effectively withdrawing from competitions.
• Oxygen Esports – disbanded their Valorant roster in August 2024, leaving players and coaching staff as free agents.
• MiTH – Citing issues such as contact problems with developers and a complex team selection system, suspended operations in Valorant.
• Disguised (DSG) – In response to new broadcast exclusivity rules impacting the VALORANT Challengers League SEA tournament, they left the league and disbanded their roster.

Thanks to the permission for organizing their own events, third-party tournament operators will be able to create development opportunities for professional players and teams. Organizations in the VCL will be able to play other tournaments and gain the necessary international experience. This will help them prepare for major tournaments and also increase the popularity of the teams.