A new path to the top has emerged for competitive VALORANT players with the in-game seasonal tournament system Premier set to launch fully after VCT Champions 2023 in August, following a global open beta phase that begins on April 25.
Players will be able to form teams of five to seven players and compete in weekly matches over an act-long season against teams in the same region and skill division, culminating in a tournament at the end of each season. The long-term goal Riot has for Premier is that it will eventually replace open qualifiers for VCT events and will serve as the starting point for the path-to-pro VALORANT esports pipeline.
Related: Head of VALORANT esports confirms in-game Premier system will eventually replace VCT open qualifiers
But with a new competitive environment that’s going to be so crucial to developing the next wave of pro players, there have to be rules.
Team creation rules in VALORANT Premier mode
To participate, players must have a verified account upon joining or creating a team. If you haven’t done this already, you’ll need to verify your VALORANT account through SMS verification. Players also must have an account that’s in good standing and one where they’ve completed ranked placements at least once.
During the enrollment phase of a season (or beta phase), players can form teams of five to seven players. The players can consist of any rank or skill division; the Premier division a team is placed in will be determined by the average MMR of the top five players on a team.
During the weekly matches, teams cannot change rosters unless the changes have no effect on what Premier division the team would be in.
Map selection rules in VALORANT Premier mode
During the weekly matches phase of the Premier season, there will be a “featured map” for each match that will be listed on the schedule in the Premier Hub. Teams will be able to see weeks ahead which map they’ll have to play. Teams play two matches per map per week.
During the tournament phase, teams will use a pick-and-ban system. Teams will take turns banning maps until a map is chosen from the active map rotation.
Overtime rules in VALORANT Premier mode
There are different overtime rules in Premier compared to standard competitive play.
- The first team to win 12 rounds gains Overtime Priority, which allows that team to vote on a starting side.
- Teams must win by two rounds, and teams swap sides after each round.
- If two sets of overtime have been played, then the match is decided by one round of sudden death.
- Sudden death side choice is determined by what was chosen with Overtime Priority.
Season one, Launch Stage, is live as of the start of VALORANT Episode Seven, Act Two.
