Mixed-Gender VCT Tournaments Coming Soon
Riot has announced that mixed-gender tournaments are coming to VALORANT later this year.
VALORANT has always aimed towards inclusivity with its Game Changers circuit and now the popular esport is looking at bringing everyone together regardless of identity. This will start during the 2024 VALORANT OFF//SEASON.
"We believe that mixed rosters are the future," said VALORANT Esports' Principal Strategist Riley Yurk.
With the help of Game Changers and VALORANT's diverse agent roster, Riot has seen more and more women and other marginalized genders competing at a high level. Game Changers' goal was to allow women to compete in esports in a safe space. This has allowed VALORANT pros like Anastasia "Glance" Anisimova to shine and feel confident enough to take on men at a competitive level.
It's always been Game Changers' goal to bring all pro players together, not keep them separated. Now, the official VCT24 rules have changed to reflect this. The information has not been revealed just yet, but orgs are encouraged to sign teams of all genders and identities:
- Players will no longer be forced to choose between Game Changers or Premier's Path to Pro
- Game Changers team can join Premier's Invite Division if they meet the ranked eligibility requirements
- Outside of playoffs, Game Changers teams can earn byes in Premier if it clashes with the schedule of GC competition
- A GC teams that qualify for the Championship event earn invites directly to their regional Challengers League qualifier
- Game Changers players do not count as imports and can bypass all transfer windows and signing restrictions
- Organizations in Challengers and International leagues can field second rosters to compete in Premier or Challengers if 3/5 players are Game Changers eligible
- Subject to eligibility, GC players can be a two-way player for an IL team or play for both a GC and Challengers team at the same time
Said Yurk: "Our goal is for the best Game Changers players to find success in other parts of the VCT ecosystem."
OLIVIA RICHMAN
Olivia is a long-time esports journalist and editor who covers just about every game but has a deep love for the FGC. Her goal is to find community-driven stories that bring a new perspective to the esports scene. In the past, she has worked for Team Liquid, Rogue, Inven Global, Dot Esports, Upcomer, and more. Outside of esports, Olivia enjoys Kirby, Pokemon TCG, Fallout, and writing science fiction. She can be found trying out new foods, traveling, or hanging out with her two orange cats. Fun fact: Olivia can do some video game and cartoon impressions!