An insider spoke about the criteria for selecting partners Riot Games

Well-known insider George Geddes spoke about the criteria for selecting Riot Games partners for the next competitive season in VALORANT. Currently, most organizations are waiting for a response from the developer/organizer to see if they deserve a place in partner leagues next year.

The process of deciding which teams get a place in the respective international league is entirely up to Riot Games, and interviews with each organization took place a few weeks ago. However, the teams are still waiting for a response as the organizers focus on VALORANT Champions 2022.

In the American League, teams from North America will get at least six slots, which makes the race extremely intense. For example, teams like TSM, Cloud9, T1, The Guard, Sentinels, NRG, OpTic Gaming and more want one of the few slots available in one of the most competitive regions.

First of all, in order to choose a partner, Riot Games needs to analyze the financial data provided by the teams. Along with fan engagement and organizational stability, these factors play an important role in securing a place in the league.

Riot Games is guided by the main principle - stability. This is due to the long-term selection of a partner team, so each participant must be financially stable in order to support the ecosystem for many years to come. In addition, teams will be able to earn from in-game merchandise that Riot Games will sell to players, with a percentage of the sales going to the teams. The more money teams can make, the better. But for this they must be popular with ordinary gamers.

Another aspect organizers need to consider is whether these organizations will support the scene and demonstrate that they are committed to VALORANT long term. For example, OpTic Gaming announced a merger with Team Envy in February, so it definitely loses in this parameter to Cloud9 and TSM.

Right now, organizations are preparing paperwork to prove their worth to Riot Games. Some of those who have partnered with the developer in other leagues, such as the LCS or LEC, will have a slight edge given that the company knows which teams have a solid track record.