Riot Games recently pulled back the curtain on the brand new Valorant Premier game mode, which is nothing like the previous snow fights, replication, and whatnot. Instead, Premier mode will challenge the participants to be better than Radiant and not settle for a mere rank badge, pitting them against one another in a tournament style instead. Only 60% of the details have been shared, but the FPS game‘s newest mode is likely the first rendition of previously teased Path to Pro that directly connects with Challengers 2023.
In April, Riot Games highlighted Valorant’s future and subtly touched on Path to Pro, a system connecting players to VCT through a long but effective process. It was also an answer to partnership contrarians concerned about Valorant’s tier-3 ecosystem. Now, the video game giant has unveiled Premier mode, which appears to pave the first path to Valorant’s uber-competitive esports scene.
How does the Valorant Premier mode work?
Premier aims to provide aspiring pros a chance to prove their mettle by competing against similarly skilled in weekly leagues through an in-game mode.
To compete in this mode, players must create teams of five. Once the roster is set, the game will place you in a division where you’ll be provided with a match schedule. Then, the quintets can practice for their pre-scheduled weekly games against similar players within their regions. Only the best will survive to qualify for the end-of-season tournament dubbed Division Champion.
In Premier mode, players can create teams and select personalized tag and colors. A map pick and ban system will also allow the participants to strategize around seasonal rivals and master their craft on select locations.
Riot hasn’t yet confirmed the pipeline after Division Champion, but it might connect with the larger circuit, as teased in April’s Path to Pro blog. Those who win the final regional tournament will get a chance to be seen at the international level. In addition, Premier will make it easy for organizations to find their next star player through the regional final results.
Premier mode also ties closely with the previously announced Valorant Challengers 2023. Riot’s partnership program was a bummer for many, but the developer has streamlined the tier-3 funnel to help organizations still get a slot. Valorant Challengers 2023 will see the best players compete for spots at global events. So, regular players have all the reasons to prove themselves through Premier mode to be picked up by Tier-2 and Tier-3 organizations.
It’s a long road for aspiring pros, but it’s worth the shot. Players can try their luck while earning the leaderboard’s top spot. Who knows, you might end up on your region’s top team’s radar and eventually at Valorant’s global events.
“This system will surface the up-and-coming stars through a fully connected ecosystem with larger events, new tournaments, and high stakes,” Riot said.
Is Valorant Premier mode free for all?
Riot clarified that the in-game competitive mode would be for every player in Valorant, but it’s unknown if there will be rank or MMR restrictions.
“In the future, a new in-game competitive mode will give every player a chance to feel what it’s like to compete like a professional and an opportunity to work toward their dreams.”
The mode may start once you have reached the coveted golden badge of Radiant, which makes more sense. Allowing all ranks in the Premier might create a disparity between skill levels, resulting in only high-ranked players winning the finals. All of this will be revealed in the remaining 40% details.
Currently, Premier mode is in the Alpha stage, which means additional features are yet to be revealed. In November, Riot will begin testing team creation, server load, map pick-and-ban system, matchmaking, general bugs, and more. Only select players in Brazil would be able to check out the new mode before it’s ready for global launch.
Competing in Premier mode is going to take a lot of work. So, get your mojo on and grab the best Valorant crosshair code for your grind. Or even better, get a new Valorant crosshair colour for each map if you’re actually serious about winning!