Valorant Premier 2024: What to expect, eligibility, timing and more

Valorant is becoming a standout title for aspiring players, thanks to the Premier system's role in showcasing skills through regional competitions. As we step into 2024, Premier becomes the epicenter of the game's competitive system, serving as the gateway for teams aspiring to qualify for Challengers and the VCT. Riot Games envisions empowering talented players to ascend directly into the Champions Tour.

Riot Games is revolutionizing the esports scene by integrating Premier mode matches with the esteemed Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) circuit. This strategic move aims to foster new talent throughout Challengers League (CL) 2024, where top Premier teams compete for slots in the Ascension tournament.

With the upcoming 2024 VCT season, Valorant continues its success, introducing enhancements to foster the growth of its esports scene. In this article, we explore the transformative landscape of Episode 8 Premier season.

What to expect from Valorant Premier in 2024?

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Riot Games is signaling a significant shift with Episode 8 Premier season, marking the initial phase of a series of incremental advancements.

The upcoming season introduces a ranked requirement, emphasizing a transitional period. Looking forward, Riot Games envisions promoting players exclusively through Premier, aiming to create pathways into Premier Contenders without the necessity of ranked play.

To prepare for the 2024 VCT season, here are crucial insights:

Challengers League 2024 kickoff: Starting in January 2024, the Challengers League will span the entire year, allowing tier-2 competitors to amass valuable experience, facilitating progression to higher tiers.
Two-part structure: The 2024 Challengers League comprises two segments, each with distinct playoff phases to determine qualifiers for the Ascension tournaments. Regional leagues will feature open qualifiers and reintroduce the top 2023 teams.
Premier mode dynamics: Premier mode matches will align with in-game schedules, hosting regional competitions to identify latent talents within the community.
Promotion and relegation system: A novel Promotion and Relegation system will be instituted post-Challengers Stage 1, pitting CL and Premier teams against each other. Premier teams can vie for a spot in Challengers Stage 2 through a competitive bracket.
Challengers Ascension: Qualified CL teams will later engage in the Challengers Ascension, competing on a regional level against the world's best teams, showcasing a novel route for Valorant.

Valorant is embarking on this unique journey in its history, emphasizing a commitment to evolving the competitive landscape.

Eligibility criteria for Challengers 2024 via Valorant Premier

Episode 8 signifies a pivotal transition for Valorant Premier, introducing eligibility criteria for Premier teams. Attaining Contender status, the highest tier of Premier, demands not only a ranked requirement of Immortal 3 or higher but also successful qualification for the Contender division.

To secure your path to Challengers and eventually Contender Premier, consider the following steps:

Immortal 3 rank requirement: Attain a current rank of Immortal 3 or higher to qualify for the Contender tier of Premier. Ensure this rank is recent, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an up-to-date performance in ranked matches.
Build a strong team: Success hinges on assembling a formidable team. Recruit players with the highest achievable ranks, confirming the recentness of their rankings. A robust team significantly enhances your chances of qualifying for Contender Premier.

As you prepare for the Contenders Premier competition, adhere to the following policies:

Age requirement for challenger league: Players must be at least 16 years old to qualify for the promotion tournament in May. Ensure all members of your team meet this age criterion.
Exclusion of current pros: Active Challenger or International League roster players are ineligible to compete in Premier. However, Game Changers competitors are welcome. Violations of this policy will result in penalties.
Single account participation: Players are permitted to participate in Premier with only one account. Vigilance will be maintained for ringers, substitutes, and cross-region play. Teams breaching these rules, including cheating, will face severe consequences.

Recognizing potential edge cases in this journey, Riot Games remains vigilant for instances such as players participating in multiple regions, smurfing, ringers, and challenges arising from roster changes. The aim is to learn from these situations and implement scalable solutions for future seasons.

Timing for Valorant Premier in 2024

Challenger League 2024 Calendar (Image via Riot Games)

Embarking with Episode 8 in January, Premier initiates the qualification process for entry into the VALORANT Champions Tour. Timing is a critical factor in your journey to Challengers, and here are key dates and milestones to keep in mind:

Immortal 3 rank deadline: Ensure your competitive rank is Immortal 3 or higher by January 10, 2024, when Episode 8 Act 1 commences. This guarantees your eligibility for Contender status.
Team formation and registration: Assemble a team exclusively consisting of Contender-eligible players and officially register your team in Premier. The registration window is open from January 8 to January 17, 2024.
Challengers open qualifier registration: Stay tuned for detailed information on Challenger League sign-ups, which will be communicated through Regional Channels in the upcoming weeks. Register your Contender Division Roster for the respective Challengers Open Qualifier.
January challenger open qualifiers: Participate in Challenger Open Qualifiers throughout January, striving for promotion into Challengers as a pivotal step in the Valorant Premier journey.

More information on the 2024 Valorant Premier and Challengers League

For teams that don't secure qualification in the Challengers during Open Qualifiers, there's an alternative pathway – the chance to participate in Premier Contender, the apex of in-game competition within Valorant.

Spanning two competition stages from January to the end of April, the Premier Contender Play-Offs in the second stage become the gateway, qualifying teams for the crucial Challengers Promotion and Relegation tournament. Stay vigilant for calendar updates to plan your course accordingly.

Valorant Challengers 2024 stands as a pivotal season, signifying a notable advancement in the competitive evolution of Riot Games' character-based tactical FPS.

Edited by Jito Tenson