VCT 2023 LOCK//IN São Paulo format drew backlash from Pro VALORANT players and coaches– Professional players and coaches have criticized Riot Games’ approach for VCT LOCK/IN So Paulo, the inaugural VALORANT event for partnered teams. In order to accommodate the 32 teams for Riot’s biggest competitive Valorant event to date, VCT LOCK/IN’s organizers have chosen to use a single-elimination structure.
Due to the single elimination structure of VCT/LOCK IN, 16 of the 32 competing teams will be eliminated after just one Best-of-Two match in the first round. Pro players and coaches for Valorant, including NRG Chet, who expressed his opinions on the competition, are upset with this unexpected change. VCT LOCK//IN São Paulo
VCT 2023 LOCK//IN São Paulo format drew backlash from Pro VALORANT players and coaches
Fly to Brazil, have no info on the other team because it’s the first matches with new meta and it’s single elimination. What an absolute shit tournament to kick off the year
— NRG Chet (@chetsingh) January 17, 2023
Kyrylo “ANGE1” Karasov, a former FPX captain and current Natus Vincere captain, noted that the format is “tough” because teams will have spent a month and a half preparing for the competition.
Half of the teams eliminated after 1st match. Thats rought after 1,5 month of praccs.
And sounds like a good goal for the tournament: survive first match 😂 https://t.co/C9FdOwWCJR
— NAVI ANGE1 (@OfficialANGE1) January 17, 2023
Leo Faria, Global Head of Valorant Esports at Riot Games, is confident in the choice of the organizer to allow 32 teams, nonetheless.
Thanks for everyone’s thoughts, questions and challenges re: the LOCK//IN format announcement today. Even the harsh ones. I’m confident we made the right choice, but I appreciate your feedback.
— Leo Faria (@lhfaria) January 18, 2023
The 30 partner teams from the EMEA, Pacific, and Americas leagues, together with two Chinese invited teams, will compete in the inaugural VCT LOCK/IN Brazil tournament of the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour. The largest Valorous event ever held by Riot Games and the first look at the teams that are a part of this new epoch in esports will take place there. The only season with the LOCK/IN tournament will be VCT 2023. The LOCK/IN will be replaced with a full split of the three separate Valorant Franchise Leagues in upcoming seasons of the Valorant Champions Tour.
Where to Watch VCT LOCK//IN 2023
Riot Games will stream VCT LOCK/IN Brazil live on their Twitch and YouTube platforms. For your convenience, we have integrated the Twitch broadcast below. On all days of the VCT LOCK/IN Brazil games, there will also be spectators in the stands. Starting on December 13, tickets for the concert will be available for purchase worldwide on Ticket360, with prices ranging from $16.79 to $27.99.
