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The announcement of the Valorant Conquerors Championship for India and South Asia has stirred a lot of conversation in the community.
This pathway circuit will provide teams with the opportunity to represent their region on the international stage in the APAC Last Chance Qualifiers. This was something that the Indian Valorant community was wishing for a long time.
Enthusiasts were indeed overjoyed when the official announcement dropped during the VCT Masters broadcast.
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With Riot Games and NODWIN Gaming partnering up for the event, fans will indeed be in for a treat when the VCC finally kicks off.
Sportskeeda Esports’ Abhishek Mallick recently got in touch with Mr Sukamal Pegu, Publishing Leader, India & South Asia, Riot Games, to get his thoughts on the upcoming event.
Here is an excerpt of that conversation.
Q. For SA, the Valorant Conquerors Championship was a long time coming. What stars needed to align for these passionate bunch of Valorant enthusiasts to finally get a shot at international representation?
A: Valorant is just one year old, and the esport ecosystem around it is also very new. Specific systems need to be put in place, such as infrastructure, grassroots competitions, and interest from the playing audience for esports before we can unlock a roadmap for a region.
Personally, I took up the challenge to ensure our region gets visibility into our official roadmap ASAP. This journey has been made super easy with the help of our partners here. They have been able to build interest in competitive products and make the voice from the region louder.
I don’t think I need to reaffirm how fantastic our player base is. Together, we made it happen! Congrats, South Asia!
Q. The Valorant players of India and South Asia are beyond excited for the unique opportunity to participate at the APAC Last Chance Qualifiers and possibly make their way to the Valorant Champions. Looking to the future, do you see India and South Asia become their own region for the VCT 2022, like KR, JP, and BR?
A: This is a discussion that we would love to have internally. VCC is the first step towards unlocking the full potential of Valorant esports in South Asia, and I can’t be more excited for the future.
Q. Ever since Valorant’s official launch, tournament organizers in India have played a significant role in helping the shooter’s esports scene grow in the region, especially when it came to cultivating young talent. What were some of the thought processes behind picking NODWIN Gaming as the official host for the VCC?
A: We are literally spoiled in South Asia when it comes to tournament organizers. Our partner events have constantly been setting benchmarks in terms of participation and viewership.
NODWIN Gaming brings a ton of experience in delivering high-quality international esport experiences, and we believe that the South Asian Valorant community will see an exceptional event this summer.
Q. How well do you feel the Indian Valorant teams will fare against some of the best that the APAC region has to offer? Who are some of your favorites going into the VCC tournament?
A: I am confident that our teams can put up an excellent show! Teams from our region haven’t had the exposure opportunities so far. We hope that this chance can help develop the sharpness needed to succeed at the highest levels.
We are constantly talking about the EU or NA meta. It is high time we brought our desi masala meta into the game.
Personally, I will be following the journey of established teams such as Team Mahi, Portal Esports, and Global Esports. But I definitely will be rooting for all underdog teams that I hope will show up with their A-game on match day.
Q. With the VCC fielding six qualifier slots, many were curious about the Wildcard option. What are some of the parameters for picking a team for the Wildcard slot?
A: We wanted to give teams a comeback opportunity. Although we respect match day results, we also believe that giving one more opportunity to reach the play-offs increases the levels of our overall competition, and we have the undisputed winner for the event!
