December 30, 2022
On November 20th, esports team G2 Gozen became the first VCT Game Changers champion. The Valorant Champions Tour 2022: Game Changers, also called VCT Game Changers, is a tournament featuring players of marginalized genders. Eight international teams battled for a total of $500,000 in Riot Games’ LEC Studio in Berlin. What makes this tournament so meaningful, and how will it affect the esports community in the future?
What made VCT Game Changers so meaningful?
Esports has a diversity and inclusion issue. Despite a diverse player base, cisgender men are overrepresented on stage and behind the scenes. Several previous tournament initiatives have contributed to diverse representation among esports athletes. Circuits, such as the Woman Star League Invitational, provided a safe space to compete for those typically alienated in the esports scene. These efforts shouldn’t go unnoticed. However, it’s undeniable that the impact of VCT Game Changers is exceptional and transcends the Valorant community. Let’s explore why!
VCT Game Changers received much public attention from members of the Valorant community and other esports. This attention can partially be traced back to Riot Games’ introduction of the Game Changers series at the start of 2021. The initial announcement gained lots of public visibility and was a topic of discussion among esports professionals. As a result, large esports organizations, such as G2, created dedicated Game Changers rosters.
Moreover, Riot introduced this diversity initiative at the very dawn of its new esports title, an unprecedented case in esports. Thanks to local Game Changers competitions in 2021 and 2022, the involved players and teams had the chance to establish their brand and credibility before the big international event.
But not only the teams had made a name for themselves. VCT Game Changers also featured broadcast talent known and loved from previous Valorant events. Public figures, such as Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez and Raidiant Founder Heather “sapphiRe” Garozzo, contributed to a diverse talent pool on- and off-stage.
Another difference maker is Riot Games’ extensive investment in the VCT Game Changers event. Backed up by notable sponsors like HyperX and Secretlab, VCT Game Changers offered a prize pool comparable to the regular Valorant Champions Tour. Additionally, the tournament was held on stage in front of a live crowd with excellent production quality. This was spiced up with a well-made announcement video, a dedicated apparel collection, and a theme song.
These combined factors boosted VCT: GameChangers’ success, resulting in 110,000 average viewers and 240,000 peak viewers during its final (source: Esports Charts. While its viewer numbers can’t compete with those of VCT Istanbul, VCT Game Changers proves that tournaments for marginalized genders attract esports fans.
How was VCT Game Changers received by the community?
Most esports professionals spoke positively about the concept of VCT Game Changers. Those attending also had great experiences with the audience and staff. Most praised the tight sense of community at the venue. Furthermore, many talent members expressed how proud they felt working on the tournament and wished to have had similar initiatives when they were young. As a person working in esports, I agree with these sentiments. I might have teared up when I watched the pre-show on the tournament’s first day.
The response from Valorant fans was similar, with a few loud negative voices. On social media and in Twitch chat, fans were euphoric about a tournament for marginalized genders of this scale. And in the crowd, people held up signs with supportive messages. It was a heartwarming experience, especially for women and non-binary folks. Regarding those few offended by such an event, I can only hope that the displayed quality of competitive play changed their views.
As expected for Riot’s first international VCT Game Changers, there were some things to improve. It’s essential not to ignore the community’s negative feedback so that the next Game Changers can be even better! I would have loved to get a Game-Changers-themed weapon skin bundle like that for VCT Istanbul. That way, I could have better supported the participating teams.
However, the community’s critique also addressed more crucial aspects of the event. For instance, talent and fans demanded improved moderation of the Valorant Twitch chat for the next Game Changers event. Due to the high visibility of VCT Game Changers, many trolls found their way to its live stream. The result was frequent transphobic and misogynistic chat messages targeting the on-screen talent. Some fans avoided the chat entirely to dodge the discomforting comments.
Another source of criticism was a team penalty placed by Riot on the night before the Game Changer final. Shopify Rebellion’s coach was banned from the final match because of misconduct after a previous victory against Cloud9 White. Most of the Valorant community criticized Riot’s decision, as friendly banter is common in esports. On top of that, other Valorant players, including Fnatic athlete Jake “Boaster” Howlett, had committed the same misconduct without paying the same prize. The main point of critique here is the issue of unequal treatment between the Game Changers and the regular VCT circuit. Some professionals suggested the underlying belief that women must be tamer than men as a potential reason for the inequality expressed by Riot. No matter the reason, tournament rules should be applied equally across genders in the future.
How does VCT Game Changers impact the future of esports?
Finally, let’s talk about how VCT Game Changers can impact the esports community in the future. Although Valorant-exclusive, the Game Changers series is a leading example of meaningful inclusion efforts for the entire esports scene. On the business side, it signals to other publishers and sponsors that events for marginalized genders are a worthy investment. Similarly, Riot Games should be happy with their return on investment and continue supporting Valorant esports for all.
The social impact of VCT: Gamer Changers is noteworthy, too. Joint work on diversity initiatives strengthens the esports community’s scene of togetherness. The ensuing open conversations boost the community’s understanding of diversity issues and the various parties involved. Current marginalized players also benefit. On-stage competitions help them develop as athletes. Lastly, a successful, inclusive tournament like VCT Game Changers is a potent source of inspiration for young esports fans. Being able to have role models they identify with might encourage them to consider esports as their career.
Final thoughts
VCT Game Changers represents an inclusive tournament that successfully attracts esports fans and the business community. Following the announcement of Game Changers, other publishers, such as Valve, have begun to invest in similar efforts. As the first international Game Changers concludes, I hope to see this trend continue and expand to more titles and tiers. Maybe we’ll get a permanent League of Legends circuit for marginalized genders next! And perhaps these growing safe spaces will attract more diverse talent, eventually making mixed teams the norm. That would be a future I look forward to!
Are you now hyped to find out more about diversity in competitive gaming? Then check out our previous article about LGBTQ+ representation in esports!