New Competitive Path for VALORANT Players
A new opportunity has arrived for competitive VALORANT players with the introduction of the Premier in-game seasonal tournament system. It is set to launch worldwide after VCT Champions 2023 in August, following a global open beta phase that starts on April 25.
Teams consisting of five to seven players can now compete in weekly matches throughout a season, facing off against other teams in their region and skill division. At the end of each season, there will be a tournament where teams can showcase their skills. Riot has big plans for Premier, aiming for it to eventually replace open qualifiers for VCT events and serve as the starting point for players aiming to go pro in VALORANT esports.
Related: VALORANT esports Head confirms Premier will replace VCT open qualifiers
However, with this new competitive environment, rules are necessary to ensure fairness and growth.
Team Creation Rules in VALORANT Premier Mode
To participate in Premier, players must have a verified account. If you haven’t verified your VALORANT account through SMS verification, you’ll need to do so. Additionally, players must have an account in good standing and have completed ranked placements at least once.
During the enrollment phase of a season or the beta phase, players can form teams of five to seven players. The team’s placement in the Premier division will be determined by the average MMR of its top five players, regardless of rank or skill division.
Once the weekly matches begin, teams cannot change their rosters unless it does not affect the Premier division they are placed in.
Map Selection Rules in VALORANT Premier Mode
During the weekly matches phase, a featured map will be assigned to each match and listed on the schedule in the Premier Hub. Teams will have advance knowledge of which map they need to play. Each team will play two matches on the assigned map per week.
During the tournament phase, teams will follow a pick-and-ban system to determine the map for each match. They will take turns banning maps until one is chosen from the active map rotation.
Overtime Rules in VALORANT Premier Mode
Premier has different overtime rules compared to standard competitive play.
- The first team to win 12 rounds gains Overtime Priority, allowing them to choose the starting side.
- Teams must win by two rounds, and sides are swapped after each round.
- If two sets of overtime have been played, the match is decided by one round of sudden death.
- The choice of sides in sudden death is determined by the earlier Overtime Priority.
The first season, Launch Stage, is now live as part of VALORANT Episode Seven, Act Two.
Related keywords: VALORANT, esports, Premier, competitive, tournament, players, teams, matches, skill division, open beta, rules.