Riot Games has released the schedule for the 2024 VCT season, along with other updates to the competitive landscape in Valorant, and pros are not happy with how the competitive calendar shakes out.
Riot Games has released the schedule for the 2024 VCT season as Valorant Champions 2023 enters its final days. The following year of Valorant esports is filled with international events and a revamped Challengers League system.
Reactions online to the schedule’s release have been positive, as fans and community members seem excited as more Masters tournaments are on the horizon. However, some professional players are unhappy with the announcement, as the schedule is almost unchanged in terms of the length of the offseason and lack of breaks during the season.
Fnatic’s Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov weighed in on the schedule, asking for an explanation for the long offseason and marathon event calendar. Fnatic has played in the most matches possible this season, winning both VCT LOCK//IN, VCT Masters Tokyo and making the VCT EMEA Grand Finals. The squad is also in the top four at Valorant Champions.
So, the team knows how it feels to play the schedule to its fullest extent without the breaks that come with losing in the early rounds or failing to make international events.
i guess they want to troll people with this schedule, no rest for 7 months AGAINcan we at least get some explanation why we are not getting longer season where people can actually rest in mid-season, instead of playing non-stop especially if you are qualifying to every event? https://t.co/XDXq0p4VpT
— kronikel (@chronicleEZ) August 23, 2023
“I guess they want to troll people with this schedule, no rest for 7 months AGAIN,” Chronicle said. “Can we at least get some explanation why we are not getting longer season where people can actually rest in mid-season, instead of playing non-stop, especially if you are qualifying to every event?”
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Valorant pros disappointed with 2024 VCT schedule
Players were in a similar situation last year, as they noticed that teams that failed to qualify for Valorant Champions would not see any VCT competition for an extended period of time. With only 16 teams making the Valorant world championship, this leaves many top squads and players without top-tier competitive opportunities.
Am I understanding correctly here is that another 5-6 months off season if a team does not qualify for Champs? 💀 https://t.co/fTjLCxE9CA
— M80 NiSMO (@NiSMO_VAL) August 23, 2023
“Am I understanding correctly here is that another 5-6 months offseason if a team does not qualify for Champs?” M80 player Marc-Andre ‘NiSMO’ Tayar said.
Other pros have voiced the same concern as NiSMO on social media. Giants Gaming IGL Emir ‘rhyme’ Muminovic even called out Riot’s Head of Valorant Esports, Leo Faria, directly.
“Absolutely 0 chance you listened to teams when you again make offseason for 6 months for the majority of teams Leo Faria,” rhyme said.
Riot Games, and Faria, have yet to respond to pros publicly about the schedule and offer an explanation for how the calendar was made at the time of writing.