VCT 2022 Format Announced: New Challengers Schedule, Off-Season Tournament Circuit and Global Game Changers Event

The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) will see the return of international competitions, expanded regional Challenger events, a new global Game Changers event and more in 2022, Riot Games announced Friday.

With the VCT set to host competitions in North America, South America, Europe and Asia once again next year, here's a breakdown of Riot Games' 2022 VCT format update.

New Challengers Format

VCT 2022 will kick off in February with the debut of a new Challengers format that is said to "create more competition between top teams at the regional level."

Whereas this past year's Challengers grind included a system where teams were required to go through an often confusing amount of qualifiers to push for Valorant Champions, the 2022 format will seemingly "increase the frequency of exciting matches" with its essentially condensed, "easier-to-follow" schedule.

Each Challenger split will see a single open qualifier, that will lead into multiple weeks of play between top teams, and finish with a large tournament to crown a single victor and qualify teams for international Masters competitions.

New Off-Season Tournament Circuit

After Valorant Champions 2022 wraps up next September, Riot is set to launch a new additive tournament series that will take place before VCT 2023.

The new tournament circuit will see Riot work with the "best" third-party operators to create a lineup of new events that will allow for both existing and new players to showcase their talents between VCT seasons when there are no events going on.

New Global Game Changers Event

The Game Changers program was an initiative launched by Riot to "supplement the competitive season by creating new opportunities for women who compete in Valorant," and build a VCT that is "more representative of the diversity of the Valorant community."

During the 2021 season, Riot operated more than 40 tournaments through the Game Changers program and saw more than 30 professional teams sign women’s rosters to compete in Valorant. This appears to be just the beginning.

“In 2022, we’re going to double down on our efforts by launching a new global tournament that will feature the best teams from Game Changers programs around the world,” Riot Games head of esports operations Whalen Rozelle said in a press release. “This event will bring the best teams together into a single, massive competition for the first time. We’re thrilled to take this next step to grow Valorant into the social experience our players deserve.”