Riot Games Faces Backlash Over Lack of Events in Europe
Riot Games recently announced an extensive lineup of upcoming VALORANT events during the off-season between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. However, this schedule has left many fans in the EMEA community feeling frustrated and disappointed.
The criticism was directed towards Leo Faria, the global head of VALORANT esports, after he made a lighthearted comment about the lack of major events in Europe. Fans took to Reddit to express their discontent.
“Come on folks, the joke is about EMEA winning everything this year. There are literally 9 events across EMEA announced so far, which is already more than last year! It’ll be awesome!” Faria tweeted on August 12, 2023.
One of the concerns raised by NRG Esports’ Ardis “ardiis” Svarenieks was the absence of events in Europe. Faria responded with a casual remark about EMEA spending the off-season polishing their trophies. This comment led to swift backlash from fans and players across the region.
Frustration Over Region-Locked Events
Adam “ec1s” Eccles, the in-game leader of Maryville Esports, voiced his complaint regarding the region-locked nature of the upcoming events in EMEA. Unlike North America, where open qualifiers are available to all teams, the majority of events in EMEA have limitations on participation based on sub-regions.
Head coach Lucas Rojo from Case Esports noted that he and his team would only be able to compete in events held in Spain, which means a months-long wait before the start of the next competitive season in 2024.
The Impact on the European Tier-Two Scene
The lack of events during the off-season has had a detrimental effect on the European tier-two VALORANT scene. Many teams are forced to disband or remain inactive due to the absence of competitive opportunities. This has resulted in pro players and staff being left without jobs, creating an unstable environment for aspiring professionals.
The European tier-two scene already faced challenges with regards to support and sustainability, despite being home to some of the region’s most talented players. When coupled with concerns about the profitability of esports, there is justified worry about the future of the scene unless significant measures are taken to address these issues.
Riot Games, VALORANT, events, Europe, EMEA community, criticism, Leo Faria, esports, backlash, region-locked events, tier-two scene, sustainability, aspiring pros