You can now qualify for VCT Challengers through Premier.
Riot Games is reshaping the VALORANT Premier system into the ultimate proving ground for aspiring teams eyeing a spot in Challengers and the prestigious VCT. In the announcement, Riot went on with the details of how the new Premier system will work.
Last August, Premier was officially launched to provide an avenue for players who are looking for a more competitive battlefield than ranked. Riot told fans that it would soon become a path to enter the pro scene.
Starting with Episode 8 in January 2024, Premier will become the gateway to qualify for the VALORANT Champions Tour. It will serve as a transitional phase for Premier. Thus, there will be a ranked requirement. Premier teams need to hit the ranked requirement of Immortal 3 or higher for each player to be eligible to play in the Contender matchups.
“Looking ahead, our vision is to facilitate promotions into Premier Contenders exclusively via Premier. While we had to start somewhere, in the future we want to build ways to level into this rank with your squad and without the requirement of ranked play,” Riot told fans.
Current pro players cannot compete in the Premier. As per Riot’s definition, pro players are those who are currently on an active Challenger or International League roster. However, Game Changer rosters are allowed to compete.
Dust off those ranked matches because you'll need a current rank of Immortal 3 or higher to step into the Contender tier when Episode 8 Act 1 starts on January 10. You also need to assemble your team and register between January 8 to January 17. A powerhouse team is your golden ticket to Contender Premier glory.
With these changes, expect aspiring pro players to get more competitive during their ranked matches. They need that ranked rating to qualify for Premier Contender.
There will also be a lot at stake in the coming Premier matches. Now, players are not playing for shiny cards or title, they are now playing for a spot in the VCT Challengers.
