During a private discussion, officials from VCT EMEA (Valorant Champions Tour Europe, Middle East, Africa) offered their thoughts about the competitive landscape of Valorant in these regions.
At the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals, Xpsp and several media organizations conversed with key figures including Daniel Ringland (VALORANT Esports EMEA Head), Jonathan Tilbury (VCT EMEA Head), and Tomek Borowka (Esports Product Manager for Challengers and Game Changers in EMEA). This conversation centered around the current status and future prospects of the VALORANT competitive landscape within the EMEA region.
LoL and VCT schedule conflicts
In response to queries from Xpsp regarding possible clashes in schedules between League of Legends (LoL) and VCT EMEA, especially post the launch of LoL Game Changers Rising, Daniel Ringland made it clear to fans that the intention is always to avoid making them pick between tournaments.
In simpler terms, Ringland mentioned that the EMEA team strives to prevent scheduling conflicts. For instance, Challengers games are never scheduled simultaneously with VCT EMEA games. This avoidance helps fans avoid conflicting schedules and ensures smoother broadcasts for both competitions. However, it’s worth noting that there may be instances where tournaments have to overlap unavoidably.
VALORANT Challengers Leagues
In 2025, a fresh competitive system was introduced in VALORANT Challengers Leagues, which Borowka affirms has been successful for spectators, teams, and players alike. Following a survey of participating organizations, Riot Games received favorable responses regarding the improvements. According to Borowka’s assessment, teams found the new format to be both more competitive and providing enhanced exposure overall.
He commented, “Making the adjustment simplified the fan’s ability to track the tournament. It’s evident from the current situation that Challengers EMEA 1, 2, and 3 boast a fiercely competitive and diverse landscape, unequivocally demonstrating the exceptional depth of talent in the region.
Ringland underscored the significance of synchronizing Premier with Challengers, enabling spectators to trace notable milestones as Premier squads venture into the competitive arena.
About expanding Ascension from six to eight teams, Borowka views this as a beneficial chance for additional squads to compete at Tier 1 level, all while ensuring a lasting journey. Yet, he admitted that the durability of Tier 2 teams continues to be an issue. He’s confident that it will be tackled in the upcoming year. As for the strategy, it hasn’t been unveiled yet, but the team has been diligently working on it behind the scenes.
Game Changers
Borowka clarified, “We constructed Game Changers specifically for gamers. It’s a space where they can compete in a secure setting, grow, and progress towards the professional scene. Notably, it also provides an inclusive route to advancement. He further mentioned that this tournament serves as a platform for players aiming higher, fostering their personal growth and character development. Our ultimate ambition is to establish a system that offers opportunities for players at every skill level.
In 2024, The Spotlight Series EMEA turned out to be a triumph. For the year 2025, the EMEA team has set their sights on achieving a comparable level of success with Project Blender.
Moments to be proud of
Reflecting on this year’s accomplishments, every executive from the VCT EMEA division shared the instances they feel particularly proud of.
As an avid fan, I’d enthusiastically agree with Daniel Ringland! The broadcast experiences this year have been exceptional. We’ve worked hard to create more humorous and engaging moments, such as moving the broadcast outdoors, even onto sandy terrains. It’s these unique, unconventional touches that resonate positively with viewers.
Tomek Borowka: “I’m thrilled about what we plan for the Game Changers finals this year. It was fantastic last time; we had a blast. Our goal is to enhance the overall experience, whether it’s on-site or through the broadcast. We’re eagerly anticipating it. For Challengers/Ascension, we’re attempting something fresh with eight teams in the Riot Games Arena. This is novel for us and offers a unique experience for both players and spectators. The aim is to foster a more personal atmosphere, filled with the genuine esports spirit, where everyone can interact, socialize, and enjoy the game.
Jonathan Tilbury: “Initially, we take great pride in our team who diligently tackled technical issues during Stage 1. They effectively diagnosed problems with the assistance of professional players, as there are certain aspects only they can perceive. Moreover, our exceptional broadcast crew has been working tirelessly to enhance the core game experience. Our aim is to improve viewing for official broadcasters’ audience, but also cater to those who prefer a custom VCT experience. We sought to offer streamers additional tools, narrative opportunities, etc. Additionally, we significantly boosted our investment in stats for this split. This improvement greatly simplifies following VCT for casual viewers.
According to VCT EMEA executives, there has been an 80% decrease in pauses during technical issues.
This version maintains the original meaning but is written in a more conversational and easy-to-understand style.
Read More
- Clash Royale Best Boss Bandit Champion decks
- RAVEN2 redeem codes and how to use them (October 2025)
- Kingdom Rush Battles Tower Tier List
- Clash Royale Furnace Evolution best decks guide
- Delta Force Best Settings and Sensitivity Guide
- Cookie Run: Kingdom Boss Rush Season 2-2 Guide and Tips
- Ninja Arashi 2 Shadow’s Return expands the hit ARPG sequel with more content, ahead of Ninja Arashi 3’s launch later this year
- Kingdom Rush Battles Hero Tier List
- BBC spy drama with James Norton dubbed “the story that shocked Britain” is now on Netflix
- Vampire’s Fall 2 redeem codes and how to use them (June 2025)
2025-09-02 13:44