VALORANT VCT Game Changers 2025: Calendar, How to Watch
VALORANT's Game Changers circuit had a stellar year in 2024, with its first player ascending into the VCT circuit and its member team, Shopify Rebellion Gold, becoming the first-ever all-female roster to qualify into Challengers. 2025 will showcase plenty more memorable gameplay moments, elevate marginalized genders in esports and introduce new VALORANT talents. Let's explore everything about VALORANT's 2025 Game Changers scene, including important dates, key info and how fans can watch.
What is VALORANT Game Changers?
Founded in 2021, VALORANT's Game Changers circuit is an S-tier Riot-Games-sponsored tournament that aims to elevate marginalized genders in esports and serve as a stepping-stone into the greater Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) sphere. It is one of the most prestigious tournaments in all of VALORANT esports. All players in Game Changers must be female or a marginalized gender. Riot Games states about the initiative:
"VCT Game Changers is a new program which will supplement the competitive season by creating new opportunities and exposure for women and other marginalized genders within VALORANT esports. The competitive VALORANT community is both diverse and incredibly global, and our esport should reflect that. Through Game Changers, we hope to build towards a VALORANT Champions Tour that is more inclusive and representative of our community."
The 2025 Game Changers North American season is sponsored by Verizon. It is hosted by Raidiant, an all-female tournament organization group. According to Riot Games, this year's updates include an updated format, more broadcast days, and smoother Game Changers Championship qualification processes. There is also a sizeable prize pool of over 150,000 USD throughout the North American Game Changers season.
Related Article: VALORANT Challengers NA 2025: Teams, Schedule, Info
VCT Game Changers 2025 Format
VCT Game Changers operates similarly to the greater VCT circuit with various main competitive regions including China, the Pacific, EMEA, LATAM and the Americas.
At the season's start, there are Kickoff events in all four regions. These tournaments allow players to transition into the season smoothly and establish a team presence. They also include Open Qualifiers where teams can gain entry. However, they do not provide any Circuit Points to help progress to the Game Changers Championship.
After the Kickoff, teams will compete in several Stages throughout the year, each becoming progressively more intense. Two Open Qualifiers accompany each stage, and teams enter the VCT Game Changers Stages through either invitation based upon previous performance or the Open Qualifiers. Each stage's winning teams gain Circuit Points and/or direct qualification to the Game Changers Championship.
It's important to note that these Kickoff and Stage formats are based on Game Changers NA, so there may be regional differences.
The 2025 Game Changers Championship's exact dates, location and format are still TBD. However, in previous years, the tournament occurred throughout November (sometimes into early December), and the 2025 circuit reportedly includes 10 teams. The teams previously participated in a double-elimination Knockout bracket where all matches were best-of-3 before entering the best-of-5 Grand Finals. The Grand Finals will crown the 2025 Game Changers Championship winners and present them with a hefty reward — previous years' cumulative prize pools have usually amounted to 500,000 USD each.
What Are Circuit Points?
Circuit Points are an ongoing tally of points collected by each team during the VCT Game Changers season. They work similarly to Championship Points in VCT; teams gain them by winning or placing in specific events. Riot Games awards varied amounts of Circuit Points based on ranking. For example, a first-place team might receive five Circuit Points while a second-place team receives three. Teams with the most circuit points at the end of the season qualify for the Game Changers main event, the 2025 Game Changers Championship.
VCT Game Changers 2025 Calender: Key Dates
Related Article: Big Esports Tournaments of 2025
January
- Kickoffs begin in all regions.
February
- February 2: (According to Liquipedia) The VCT Game Changers EMEA Kickoffs end.
- February 11-16: The VCT Game Changers NA Kickoff Playoffs occur.
- February 15: (According to Liquipedia) VCT Game Changers EMEA Stage 1 begins.
March
- March 3: VCT Game Changers LAS Stage 1 begins.
- March 4-8: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 1 Open Qualifiers #1 occur.
- March 19: (According to Liquipedia) VCT Game Changers EMEA Stage 1 ends.
April
- April 1-5: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 1 Open Qualifiers #2 occur.
- April 14: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 1 Swiss Stage begins.
May
- May 16: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 1 Swiss Stage ends.
- May 23-25: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 1 Main Event occurs.
- May 30: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 1 Main Event continues.
June
- June 1: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 1 Main Event continues.
July
- July 1-3: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 2 Open Qualifiers #1 occur.
- July 15-19: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 2 Open Qualifiers #2 occur.
August
- August 4: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 2 Swiss Stage begins.
September
- September 10: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 2 Swiss Stage ends.
October
- October 7-12: VCT Game Changers NA Stage 2 Main Event occurs.
November
- TBD: The 2025 Game Changers Championship occurs.
December
The Game Changers season typically ends in December so players and fans can enjoy the holiday season and prepare for a return the next Spring.
More specific dates for EMEA, LATAM and China events will likely emerge as the year progresses in addition to the 2025 Game Changers Championship dates.
How to Watch and Follow VALORANT Game Changers 2025
Fans can follow the Game Changers 2025 season as it progresses on VALORANT's official esports website, valorantesports.com. Raidiant will stream Game Changers NA matches at twitch.tv/raidiantgg. In addition, VALORANT's official Americas esports channel will broadcast Game Changers NA Main Events on Twitch at twitch.tv/valorant_americas and on YouTube at @valorant_americas.
VALORANT's official main Twitch channel, twitch.tv/valorant, typically streams the Game Changers Championship matches.
