The VCT Game Changers EMEA 2024 season will feature 10 teams, Riot Games announced today. The competition’s format change emphasizes Riot’s desire to enhance player visibility, as well as elevating the competition and shining a brighter spotlight on players’ stories.
With the emphasis on guiding players “through Game Changers and out” and improving the overall experience for participants in the EMEA region, the Head of Game Changers EMEA, Ashley Washington, clarified the change in a rouundtable. “Even though we are switching to a ten teams system, we are not looking to emulate a partnership system,” she said, “and we’re not going to do that in the future either.”
The upcoming VCT Game Changers EMEA will see various new introductions that go beyond the addition of two teams participating in its main event. The changes include the introduction of the GC EMEA Kickoff which features an Open Qualifier and a subsequent Closed Qualifier.
The open qualifier will involve 128 teams in a single-elimination format, competing for four spots in the closed qualifier. Those four teams will join selected top-performing rosters from the previous year’s GC Stage 3 in the closed qualifier, which will be played in a double-elimination bracket, determining the top eight teams for the initial stage of 2024.
The two teams with the lowest placement in each GC EMEA stage’s group stage will be relegated to Contenders, which will also see adjustments to its format in 2024.
Contenders will consist of 30 teams: Those invited from regional tournaments, those securing their place via open qualifiers, and the two relegated teams from GC EMEA Stages 1 and 2. Only the top two teams from this tournament will earn promotion back into GC EMEA for the subsequent Stage—either 2 or 3.
With increased co-streams and coverage of key moments for Contenders, Riot seeks to enhance the status of the competition, positioning it as a prestigious tournament where participating players take pride in showcasing their skills and fans get a more engaging viewing experience. The season begins with the Open Qualifier beginning on Jan. 26 and the Closed one on Feb. 3, setting the stage for yet another dynamic year of VALORANT competition.
