'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Valorant Champions is the final event of the VCT official circuit, in which teams from all over the world compete against each other to be crowned as World Champions. In 2023, 16 teams will be battling for this trophy, which includes five teams from EMEA, four teams from the Americas and Pacific each, and lastly, three teams from China.
2023 has been a remarkable year for Valorant esports. As VCT finally started its franchising phase, viewers were treated with multiple exciting events. These led to many teams and players finally getting their chance to shine brightly on the biggest stage possible. The final event of the year will surely be one to remember. Below is a list of five major storylines heading into Valorant Champions 2023.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
Trending
Fnatic's potential VCT dynasty and other key storylines for the Valorant Champions 2023
1) Will Fnatic create a dynasty in 2023?
Fnatic has been amongst the top teams in the EMEA region. The squad, led by Boaster, has had many ups and downs ever since the start. With multiple iterations of the roster and many international appearances, Fnatic was assured of winning a trophy soon. However, the team would always fall just short of doing so. That changed in 2023.
Fnatic went on to form an EMEA superteam for the new era of VCT. This new squad has been dominating throughout the year and has won both the international event, LOCK//IN, and Masters Tokyo. This also made them the first team ever to win two international trophies back to back. Fnatic are the obvious favorites going into Valorant Champions and have a chance to create history yet again by winning all international events of 2023.
2) Can Paper Rex give Pacific their first international trophy?
Paper Rex has had a long journey to the top. From getting knocked out early in VCT Stage 3: Masters Berline in 2021 to getting second place in VCT Stage 2: Masters Copenhagen, Paper Rex have improved a lot. Using their unorthodox compositions and W Gaming strategy, they are considered to be one of the most fearsome teams to go up against.
In 2023, Paper Rex made some tough choices that have seemingly worked out for them. Adding Ilya 'something' to the roster led them to finally beat their Pacific rivals, DRX. This new roster has looked very promising and can be the first team and W all the way to the region's first international title.
3) Will the home crowd buff take Evil Geniuses to their first international title?
When Evil Geniuses announced their roster for 2023, many considered it to be amongst the weakest in franchising. The team was not able to produce results at LOCK//IN and even the Regular Season of Americas League. Hence, they sought out players through open tryouts. This led to them finding the next superstar, Demon1.
After Demon1's entry into the main roster, the team found a new rhythm. Their performance and results skyrocketed. They qualified for Masters Tokyo, which was their first international event. Here, they finished in second place and outdid many of the top international teams. Evil Geniuses are also amongst the favorites coming into Valorant Champions 2023 and can certainly give the Americas crowd their first international win of the year.
4) Can EDward Gaming win China a trophy?
EDward Gaming has been the biggest surprise stepping into 2023. The team was able to finally secure their first international win and even made it to the Playoffs in VCT Masters Tokyo. EDG took down many of the top teams from the world to make it to fifth-sixth place.
The Chinese region is still very new to Valorant, but the amount of progress their teams have made in a little time is nothing short of incredible. EDward Gaming are now eyed as Championship contenders and could very possibly get China their first international title.
5) Will NAVI and LOUD bounce back and return to Championship form?
NAVI and LOUD are two teams that consist of players that have won international titles in Valorant esports. Both teams started out very strong, with a third-fourth place finish for NAVI and a second-place finish for LOUD at VCT LOCK//IN. These teams also went on to have brilliant performances in their respective region's Regular Season.
However, VCT Masters Tokyo did not go the same for either of them. NAVI was knocked out very early in the Group Stage, whereas LOUD was sent back to the Playoffs without a single win. Both teams' performances left a lot to be desired. Valorant Champions 2023 will be a true test for these veteran teams to see if they can get back to their Championship form and win another title for themselves.
