Valorant Format

How would you change the current format for the better?

Me personally, I would introduce a last chance qualifier where the losers of kickoff or split 1 would battle it out and the top two would make it to the next master. This would give the teams that made masters, time to rest and to strategize for the masters, while also allowing other strong teams who didn't make it to the grand finals have another chance. It would also help take up time in the season so that people don't have to wait 1-1 1/2 weeks for every match and have a long time between events(minus China because they went really quickly with their matches).

make masters 16 teams and champions 24 teams

wtf is even the point of a 8 team event 90% of teams arent gonna qualify

also add more international LANs, CS will have their 3rd big event in february 14th, valorant has 3 big events in a year lmao

I think kickoff is a really fun and cool idea, but with how we have two masters I just think it's just not optimal.
imo the method of qualifying for each Masters should be the same, it makes it so in principle each masters trophy carries similar weight.

What I would prefer: Stage 1 Full round robin -> Playoffs -> Top 3 teams to Masters 1 -> Mid season break -> Stage 2 Full RR -> Playoffs -> Top 3 teams to Masters 2 -> LCQ (2 slots) -> Champs

Full round robins might be ambitious so I'd be willing to say change that to half round robins.
Also wIthin the break or any significant gaps I'd like to see some Tier 1 + Tier 2 mixed tournaments, or just tournaments in general in which the teams who don't qualify for the internationals can play in (It doesn't even have to be run by riot, all riot have to do is allow it to happen)

Think of it this way. Kickoff and LCQ are basically the same tournament, only difference is placement in the calendar, and two less teams. The main complaint of LCQ was that teams that go out of LCQ quickly will end their year early.
But in theory what we have now with kickoff is just as bad, it doesn't fix the problem. If teams go out now they have to wait 2 months before Stage 1.

One last small thing I wanted to mention is the groups at international events, I think Masters should be GSL style, and Champs should be swiss. Swiss works best with more teams.

12 team swiss in kickoff into 6 teams qualifying
top 2 in swiss gets bye and top 2 in playoffs quals master 1

and keep everything else, maybe add an lcq as well but lcqs are mickey mouse so prolly not

i really liked lcq, dont think it would hurt if they could find a way to bring it back

maybe champs placement works like:

1. split 2 playoffs
2. split 2 playoffs
3. champs points
4. lcq

this way if you did really well in kickoff, masters 1, and pre playoffs split 1, but sucked rest of the year champs points wouldnt carry you as much as they do now. maybe have it so that lcq happens right after lower/grand finals, the 9 teams that didnt get selected go to a seeded bracket and the winners sees champs

composthe [#2]

make masters 16 teams and champions 24 teams

wtf is even the point of a 8 team event 90% of teams arent gonna qualify

also add more international LANs, CS will have their 3rd big event in february 14th, valorant has 3 big events in a year lmao

disagree make champs 24 teams. What the point making top 3 in regular season when 6th place team can qual and make champs? More teams in champs gonna make top placement less earnings and decrease of high quality valorant with more glue. Top teams in regular season will literally stop trying cause they already qual to champs. This gonna increase more neglectful attitude towards the game and less effort.

Aayan [#3]

I think kickoff is a really fun and cool idea, but with how we have two masters I just think it's just not optimal.
imo the method of qualifying for each Masters should be the same, it makes it so in principle each masters trophy carries similar weight.

What I would prefer: Stage 1 Full round robin -> Playoffs -> Top 3 teams to Masters 1 -> Mid season break -> Stage 2 Full RR -> Playoffs -> Top 3 teams to Masters 2 -> LCQ (2 slots) -> Champs

Full round robins might be ambitious so I'd be willing to say change that to half round robins.
Also wIthin the break or any significant gaps I'd like to see some Tier 1 + Tier 2 mixed tournaments, or just tournaments in general in which the teams who don't qualify for the internationals can play in (It doesn't even have to be run by riot, all riot have to do is allow it to happen)

Think of it this way. Kickoff and LCQ are basically the same tournament, only difference is placement in the calendar, and two less teams. The main complaint of LCQ was that teams that go out of LCQ quickly will end their year early.
But in theory what we have now with kickoff is just as bad, it doesn't fix the problem. If teams go out now they have to wait 2 months before Stage 1.

One last small thing I wanted to mention is the groups at international events, I think Masters should be GSL style, and Champs should be swiss. Swiss works best with more teams.

This is the exact calendar I've been wanting, with each stage qualifying for masters and champs qual for teams being by points and lcq. Despite wanting it round robin, I have started to think its less feasible, so each stage should probably just stick with this year's format, but with tournaments for those who don't qual for masters, like this year's evo series in cn, for every region and with t2 teams instead of academy rosters.

introduce an open circuit run by a third-party organizer (like ESL or Dreamhack) separate from the VCT with international LANs open to all VCT and challengers teams that runs throughout the year (off-season works too, i just wanna see whole open circuits with qualifiers that isn't just a stand-alone tournament)

First kickoff, I dislike the current format, because of the round of bye for the looser, so we kinda have either to go to round swisss, by for exemple giving a by to the top 4 for first round, meaning after 4 round we have :

• 2 teams in 3-0
• 5 teams in 2-1
• 4 teams in 1-2
• 1 team in 0-3
  Play a fast single elim BO1 tournament for the 4 team that are in 1-2 (3 games), the winner join the 5 other, then do 1 round swiss more, so you have 1 team in 4-0 that is in final and 4 team in 3-1that will fight each other in BO3 to access to the final.

But at some point since they are so many format that is a multiple of 3, so I think we will have no choice to find a way to make an efficient format that can make 3 team compete against each other that will be better than the boring format we had in 2024, and I have a proposition that I call the "Tri Fractionned Format" (The Tri-F). And this is kinda a preview for my next video <3

That is basically a full round robin with 3 teams, and 3 BO3, where each game are play de in a specific order to ensure the competitive integrity. So how does that work ? You make the 3 pick and bans at the start of the day, that, you play the 3 first game of each BO3, then the 2nd game of each BO3 in a specific order that will ensure suspense and preserve competition integrity (1st vs 3rd, 1st vs 2nd, 2nd vs 3rd), and then if 2 team are still tied after this 6 games, we play the decider match for this 2 team, in 7 games this is over, versus the actual 9 games, and competition integrity is preserved, not as what we had in the classical round-robin with 3 teams. (You can do whatever you want if the 3 team are tied, many possibilities are okayish and none are perfect)

(This is not 6 BO1, this is 3 BO3 with all the draft made in BO3 format, but the game are played in a different order

Anguibok [#9]

First kickoff, I dislike the current format, because of the round of bye for the looser, so we kinda have either to go to round swisss, by for exemple giving a by to the top 4 for first round, meaning after 4 round we have :

• 2 teams in 3-0
• 5 teams in 2-1
• 4 teams in 1-2
• 1 team in 0-3
  Play a fast single elim BO1 tournament for the 4 team that are in 1-2 (3 games), the winner join the 5 other, then do 1 round swiss more, so you have 1 team in 4-0 that is in final and 4 team in 3-1that will fight each other in BO3 to access to the final.

But at some point since they are so many format that is a multiple of 3, so I think we will have no choice to find a way to make an efficient format that can make 3 team compete against each other that will be better than the boring format we had in 2024, and I have a proposition that I call the "Tri Fractionned Format" (The Tri-F). And this is kinda a preview for my next video <3

That is basically a full round robin with 3 teams, and 3 BO3, where each game are play de in a specific order to ensure the competitive integrity. So how does that work ? You make the 3 pick and bans at the start of the day, that, you play the 3 first game of each BO3, then the 2nd game of each BO3 in a specific order that will ensure suspense and preserve competition integrity (1st vs 3rd, 1st vs 2nd, 2nd vs 3rd), and then if 2 team are still tied after this 6 games, we play the decider match for this 2 team, in 7 games this is over, versus the actual 9 games, and competition integrity is preserved, not as what we had in the classical round-robin with 3 teams. (You can do whatever you want if the 3 team are tied, many possibilities are okayish and none are perfect)

(This is not 6 BO1, this is 3 BO3 with all the draft made in BO3 format, but the game are played in a different order

bo1 is aids i never want to see a bo1 in official tier 1 pro play

229fn [#10]

bo1 is aids i never want to see a bo1 in official tier 1 pro play

Again, this is not BO1, this is 3 BO3, with a full draft, it's the exact same than BO3, you play 2 games against each opponent where map are decided by a draft in BO3 draft, and you play decider only if you need it.

229fn [#10]

bo1 is aids i never want to see a bo1 in official tier 1 pro play

hop off vlr and make a new vid

Personally I blame m4.

Either they adjust the first masters, or we change it into a Supercup where its fitting, the 2 best teams from each region play while the rest of the teams now play in something similar to the CN Evolution Series in the meantime. I'm not gonna lie having 3 Majors per year kind of meh for me and if they want to stick with having this dogshit kickoff every year into an 8 team international event then fuck it, but let's not call it a Masters. It cheapens the prestige imo and having something like a Supercup makes more sense since it's mostly an event condensed of the best teams from each the different regions. Like a gathering of super teams if it makes any sense.

Also make Masters 12 or 16 teams but no byes into the playoffs. That's boring as fuck. If there is any reward for qualifying, its better scheduling plus high seeding facing the worst teams of other regions qualifying into the event. Then into playoffs and boom, double elim bracket and we're set. We can have all the weirdness with picking teams if they want like have at it, just don't make it stupid.

Make each split a round robin. I'm sick of these half round robins per split. It sucks, it's boring for me. It ends so quickly. 7-9 matches to qualify is just what.. I'm watching LCK teams play like 18 games per split to get to playoffs where they try to qualify for MSI & Worlds. It's more drawn out, it feels more like a season and not just a passing fad. Bring back LCQ for Champs. Make it semi open.

Champs 20-24 teams, Ascension winners(maybe with runner ups..) join LCQ and there they duke it out to qualify for Champs. There they get a cut of the money VCT teams get and honestly this will heal the tier 2 scene a little and provide motivation. Like people have been complaining about how bleak tier 2 is so this could be a shining light for them.

Warlordwibz [#6]

disagree make champs 24 teams. What the point making top 3 in regular season when 6th place team can qual and make champs? More teams in champs gonna make top placement less earnings and decrease of high quality valorant with more glue. Top teams in regular season will literally stop trying cause they already qual to champs. This gonna increase more neglectful attitude towards the game and less effort.

it will be 8 teams in the last stage and 16 teams fighting out in the first stage, so your reward for getting top2 in your region is so you can skip a whole stage

and there could be 1 spot from tier 2 from each region to spice things up so 5 teams from each region + 1 tier 2 team

M40 [#12]

hop off vlr and make a new vid

The script is already written (This was a copy past fo the first paragraph :c)

I'm really curious of what people gonna say about the tri-fractionned BO3, this is such a weird format, but I think i've manage to keep the competitive integrity and all the advantage of the round robin BO3, without the disadvantage

M40 [#12]

hop off vlr and make a new vid

done :/

composthe [#15]

it will be 8 teams in the last stage and 16 teams fighting out in the first stage, so your reward for getting top2 in your region is so you can skip a whole stage

and there could be 1 spot from tier 2 from each region to spice things up so 5 teams from each region + 1 tier 2 team

• Giving tier 2 teams opportunity in champs = disrespecting every single teams in VCT that fail to qualify to champs, top tier 2 teams belong in ascension and the best deserve to be in Tier 1.
• Quality > Quantity. Go and make 113 page report about it if you disagree.

Aayan [#3]

I think kickoff is a really fun and cool idea, but with how we have two masters I just think it's just not optimal.
imo the method of qualifying for each Masters should be the same, it makes it so in principle each masters trophy carries similar weight.

What I would prefer: Stage 1 Full round robin -> Playoffs -> Top 3 teams to Masters 1 -> Mid season break -> Stage 2 Full RR -> Playoffs -> Top 3 teams to Masters 2 -> LCQ (2 slots) -> Champs

Full round robins might be ambitious so I'd be willing to say change that to half round robins.
Also wIthin the break or any significant gaps I'd like to see some Tier 1 + Tier 2 mixed tournaments, or just tournaments in general in which the teams who don't qualify for the internationals can play in (It doesn't even have to be run by riot, all riot have to do is allow it to happen)

Think of it this way. Kickoff and LCQ are basically the same tournament, only difference is placement in the calendar, and two less teams. The main complaint of LCQ was that teams that go out of LCQ quickly will end their year early.
But in theory what we have now with kickoff is just as bad, it doesn't fix the problem. If teams go out now they have to wait 2 months before Stage 1.

One last small thing I wanted to mention is the groups at international events, I think Masters should be GSL style, and Champs should be swiss. Swiss works best with more teams.

I like the concept of kickoff, 3 event a year seems the good balance and it kinda keep the "smile theory" that Faria's have (Most hype at the start and the end of the season so it's good to make a master to match the hype of the start of the season.

As far as I would love full round robin, I think Faria is right when he don't want too mush game a year (But I still think we don't have enough), I personally would prefer what we had in 2024 because it makes sure that everyone play each other in a single round robin (But please this time make intragroup first), but I think we can have both kickoff AND LCQ.

About the T1 + T2 tournament, I wasnt a huge fan at first, but when I realize if T2 can participate we have now a good excuse to expand champions to 20 or 24 because now we will not be able to say "It's impossible to make champs with 24 teams, because it would qualify half of team", if T2 is involved, it's not half anymore. The amazing thing of making T2 team play the qualifier is that it solve 3 problem at once :

• Lack of incentive to try something in T2
• Solve the issues where 2 ascention team go to worlds (if the 2 ascention team go to world but no T2 team manage to go to world, then Ascention team should keep their spot)
• Not enough team in champs to make it really different than the 2 masters.

I love the idea of gsl for master and swiss of champs, and I already a full script preparated for swiss in champ, I also think the idea that instead of making a draw, it should be the best team (Winner of the 2 masters then winner of split 2) that should pick their opponent in each round robin, making a huge advantage for team that win master, making us able to see master as a way to have a more easy path at champs setting in your mind that winning master isn't the end of the day, it's the start of their climb for champs

cameran [#4]

12 team swiss in kickoff into 6 teams qualifying
top 2 in swiss gets bye and top 2 in playoffs quals master 1

and keep everything else, maybe add an lcq as well but lcqs are mickey mouse so prolly not

Math doest work here, if you do swiss with 12 team you might be blocade at : 3 team in 2-0, 2 team in 0-2 and 6 team in 1-1, and then it's become really chaotic. But you have a option to give to top 4 a round of bye in round one to make math add up a little bit better (2 team in 3-0 / 5 team in 2-1 / 4 team in 1-2 / 1 team in 0-4)

Anguibok [#20]

Math doest work here, if you do swiss with 12 team you might be blocade at : 3 team in 2-0, 2 team in 0-2 and 6 team in 1-1, and then it's become really chaotic. But you have a option to give to top 4 a round of bye in round one to make math add up a little bit better (2 team in 3-0 / 5 team in 2-1 / 4 team in 1-2 / 1 team in 0-4)

oh yea didnt think of that ur right

give me best of the rest after kickoff and lcq

229fn [#17]

done :/

Goat

Warlordwibz [#18]

• Giving tier 2 teams opportunity in champs = disrespecting every single teams in VCT that fail to qualify to champs, top tier 2 teams belong in ascension and the best deserve to be in Tier 1.
• Quality > Quantity. Go and make 113 page report about it if you disagree.

ok then make it an open qualifier to give t1 teams chances against t2 teams but the difference isnt as big as you make it out to be or otherwise G2 wouldnt have been one of the best NA teams in t1

also xd https://www.vlr.gg/425353/made-in-thailand-vs-nrg-esports-soop-valorant-league-sf

composthe [#24]

ok then make it an open qualifier to give t1 teams chances against t2 teams but the difference isnt as big as you make it out to be or otherwise G2 wouldnt have been one of the best NA teams in t1

also xd https://www.vlr.gg/425353/made-in-thailand-vs-nrg-esports-soop-valorant-league-sf

• Tier 1.5 tournament can go in offseason, perfect time for scouting and picked up players to tier 1 teams.
• G2 fought their way in VCT Americas and they deserve to make it to champs, 1 spot from tier 2 tournament making it to champs to “spice things up” is completely different.
• Mith NRG in tier 1.5 Turney is good for off-season. Mith players show their promise against T1 teams and great for NRG to showcase their signing in offseason tournament. Keep it off-season.