Valorant Champions Tour Expands with Official VCT League in China for 2024

Riot Games has unveiled its plans to establish an official VCT league in China for 2024, spotlighting the nation's top-tier Valorant teams. This expansion introduces the fourth pillar to the Valorant Champions Tour's official leagues, seamlessly joining the already active Americas, EMEA, and Pacific leagues that commenced their journeys in 2023.

The inception of the VCT China League resonates with Valorant's overarching aspiration to assert itself as a globally dominant esport, as articulated by Riot in a press release. The announcement pays homage to "the potential and contributions of the Chinese community," marking a pivotal milestone. Notably, the game's official launch in mainland China occurred on July 12, a full three years following its international debut, owing to intricacies in securing local licensing.

Tencent has highlighted that Valorant witnessed unparalleled success among the company's PC game releases, gauged by the number of active users on launch day. In its inaugural week, it secured the second-highest viewership across notable streaming platforms—DouYu, Huya, and Bilibili—trailing only behind the juggernaut that is League of Legends, as affirmed by data analytics firm Niko Partners.

During a June launch event, Whalen Rozelle, Riot Games' COO of Esports, substantiated prior speculation by confirming China's integration into the Valorant Champions Tour. However, up until this point, uncertainty persisted regarding whether this league would parallel the stature of its Americas, EMEA, and Pacific counterparts.

The lineup for the VCT China League remains undisclosed by Riot. Nonetheless, recent speculations point toward the participation of prominent organizations such as NIP, Edward Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, Weibo Gaming, FunPlus Phoenix and Top Esports in the league.

This announcement further fuels the burgeoning excitement surrounding the Chinese Valorant scene. In a recent proclamation, Riot disclosed that Shanghai will host a VCT Masters event during the spring of 2024, signifying China's inaugural staging of a global Valorant event.

The Chinese squads once again demonstrated their mettle on the global stage during Valorant Champions 2023. Bilibili Gaming secured a place within the top eight, while EDward Gaming showcased their prowess by finishing within the top six. This achievement underscores China's competitive strength on the international Valorant landscape.