Riot reveal the 30 partnered teams for VCT 2023

After months of anticipation, Riot has finally made public the 30 partnered teams that will shape the future of Valorant esports.

Riot Games has revealed the partnered teams that will represent the three new regions—Americas, EMEA, and Pacific—in the revamped VCT 2023. Riot emphasized the competitive nature of the application process and shared their selection criteria in their statement. The selection process, which lasted a few months and involved teams submitting written applications, in-depth interviews, and financial reviews, was described by Riot as overwhelming in terms of interest and applicant volume.

Riot also stated that winning any Challengers, Masters, or Champions events was not a requirement, as past competitive performance was not a major factor in the selection process.  Instead, the publisher sought partnerships with teams who shared its values, had excellent fan engagement, and had long-term sustainability.

Americas

The Americas league will feature teams from North America (NA), Brazil (BR), and Latin America (LATAM). While North America received five seats, the remaining five are split between the other two regions.

The ten teams to participate in Americas are::

• 100 Thieves (100T)
• Cloud9 (C9)
• Evil Geniuses (EG)
• NRG
• Sentinels (SEN)
• KRÜ Esports (KRU)
• FURIA (FUR)
• LOUD
• Leviatán (LEV)
• MIBR

EMEA

Riot Games recognized the size and impressive FPS history of the EMEA region.

The ten EMEA teams are:

• Fnatic (FNC)
• Team Liquid (TL)
• Team Vitality (VIT)
• Karmine Corp (KCorp)
• Giants (GIA)
• Team Heretics (HER)
• Fut Esports (FUT)
• NAVI
• BBL Esports
• KOI

Pacific

Teams from the Asia Pacific (APAC), South Asia (SA), and East Asia will participate in the VCT Pacific area (EA). This league features a few well-known teams including Masters Copenhagen runner-up Paper Rex and the Korean Valorant juggernauts DRX . Riot ensured that the teams were carefully chosen to represent the diverse tapestry of Asia-Pacific nations and regions.

The ten Pacific teams are:

• Paper Rex (PRX)
• Global Esports
• ZETA DIVISION (ZETA)
• Detonation Gaming
• T1
• Gen.G (GEN)
• DRX
• Team Secret (TS)
• Talon Esports
• Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ)

The EMEA will have a studio in Berlin, the Pacific in Seoul, and the Americas league will be based out of a studio in Los Angeles The field appears to be tremendously robust and competitive, even though some of the 30 selected teams have shocked many fans. Riot also reassured disappointed fans that the journey of their beloved teams has not yet finished. Through the new Ascension event, teams will have the opportunity to conquer their region and gain entry into one of the over 20 Challengers leagues that will run throughout the world.

Header: Riot Games