VCT MASTERS SHANGHAI – WILL WE SEE SURPRISES IN THE PARTICIPANTS?

Games are entertaining, which explains why so many people dedicate a lot of time to enjoying them. People can do so in two ways. The first is to play the game themselves. An excellent example of this is casino gaming, where you get to decide what moves you make to win the prize. And thanks to the many online casino sites, you can do this from the comfort of your home. In addition to casino games, you can also play esports, which allows you to follow a storyline to beat your opponents.

The second way to enjoy games is to watch other people play them. For example, people who watch the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) get their kick from watching players go head-to-head. So, what is in it for fans this year and what surprises can you expect?

Breaking Down the VCT Schedule

Valorant players and fans have long waited for the 2024 season, which promises exciting twists and turns. This year, players will face two Masters events, a different qualifier system, and a new way to earn points. With these many changes, players can already feel the heat and are doing all they can to ensure they have the best winning chances.

So, how will the tournament go down? Each regional league will present 11 teams to compete for a spot in the VCT Shanghai. But Shanghai will not be the only tournament in the mix. Competing teams will also be working to get places in the VCT Masters Madrid and the Valorant Champions. 

The tournament will start with a kickoff in each league, where teams will have the chance to show they have what it takes to represent their regions in the international matches. Those who qualify will then go through two IL competition stages and two Masters tournaments (this is where they will compete in Shanghai and Madrid). Those who garner the required points will then make their way to the Champions 2024, where they will face their biggest challenge.

Below is the schedule per region:

1. The Kickoff Tournament: All eleven teams in each region will compete for the top slots in a tournament featuring three stages (group, play-in, and play-off). At each stage, teams will have to prove their worth and will risk elimination. The dates for the kickoff tournaments are February 16th (Americas), February 17th (Pacific), February 20th (EMEA), and February 22nd (CN). The teams that make it to the top two after clearing all the stages will immediately earn a spot at the VCT Masters Madrid.
2. The Shanghai Qualification Stage: Once the Madrid Champions tour is over, the top three teams from each region will have the chance to earn their spot in VCT Shanghai. This competition will be part of the first stage of the International League.

The teams that qualify past these stages will then move on to the VCT Champions.

Competing Teams

The heat is on, and teams have no option but to put their best foot forward to make it past the group, play-in, and play-off stages and secure a spot for VCT Shanghai. So, which teams will face each other? Let’s group them per region:

1. Americas

• Cloud9,
• Evil Geniuses,
• FURIA Esports,
• G2 Esports,
• KRÜ Esports,
• Leviatán,
• LOUD,
• MIBR,
• NRG,
• Sentinels, and
• 100 Thieves.

2. China

• All Gamers,
• Bilibili Gaming,
• Dragon Ranger Gaming,
• EDward Gaming,
• FunPlus Phoenix,
• JD Gaming,
• Nova Esports,
• Titan Esports Club,
• Trace Esports,
• TYLOO, and
• Wolves Esports.

3. EMEA

• BBL Esports,
• Fnatic,
• FUT Esports,
• Gentle Mates,
• GIANTX,
• Karmine Corp,
• KOI,
• Natus Vincere,
• Team Heretics,
• Team Liquid, aXiomatic, and
• Team Vitality.

4. Pacific

• Bleed Esports,
• DetonatioN FocusMe ,
• DRX,
• Gen.G Esports,
• Global Esports,
• Paper Rex,
• Rex Regum Qeon,
• T1,
• Talon Esports,
• Team Secret, and
• ZETA DIVISION.

At this point, all these teams have a fair shot at clinching the top spots that guarantee them a Shanghai spot. To predict which teams come out on top, fans can monitor the upcoming kickoff tournaments to gauge the teams’ performances. The early games will be a good way to tell if a team has the upper hand, enabling fans to conduct statistical analyses to help them bet on the right team.