Riot’s investing into the development of Valorant in Asia.

Valorant is one of the fastest growing games and is extremely popular all across the world. The top six teams at the recent VCT Masters Reykjavik were from six different regions highlighting the global reach of the game. And one of the fastest growing regions is Asia. With teams like DRX and Paper Rex finishing strong at Reykjavik, the Valorant’s Asia growth is just getting started. India-based Skyesports has announced its partnership with Riot Games to bring the Skyesports Champions Series (SCS) 2022 that leads into the VCT 2022 Stage 2. 

“We are thrilled to be a part of VALORANT’s tremendous growth in South Asia and are beyond excited to be providing a path to the teams into the VCT APAC Challenger Stage 2," said Shiva Nandy, the CEO and Founder of Skyesports. "The Skyesports Champions Series will set a new benchmark for VALORANT esports in South Asia with top-notch production and live streams in several regional languages.”

The SCS (Skyesports Champions Series) will send its top two teams to the VCT Stage 2 APAC Challenger. With a total prize pool of $30,000 this event will be a stepping stone to the international Valorant esports.

The last stage of the event will take place on LAN in Chennai, India.

“The SCS will provide a platform to all players across South Asia for a chance to progress to the next stage of the VCT, the APAC Challengers Stage 2. I wish the participating teams from the region the very best of luck.”

Sukamal Pegu, Publishing Leader, India and South Asia at Riot Games.

When is the Skyesports Championship Series?

<em>Skyesports recently hosted India’s first Valorant LAN in Mumbai. Image Credit: Skyesports.</em>
Skyesports recently hosted India’s first Valorant LAN in Mumbai. Image Credit: Skyesports.

The SCS will take place in three phases across the months of May and June. Phase 1 will feature open qualifiers for India and the rest of South Asia. The second phase is the group stage League and the final phase is the playoffs. 

Valorant players from South Asia and India can register on the official website till May 7. The eligible countries include India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bangladesh.

The top eight teams from the previous South Asian Qualifiers Playoffs stage, Velocity Gaming, Global Esports, Enigma Gaming, Team Exploit, God Particles, Exceeli Esports, Khumbu Esports, and Union Gaming will receive direct invites to Phase 2.


Valorant esports on the rise in Asia

One of the best teams from Southern Asia, Paper Rex put up an exciting performance at VCT Masters Reykjavik. The team’s aggressive playstyle and their excellent communications ensured victory over some tournament favorites. As Valorant continues to grow, and with the same start as western nations, many regions, under-represented in esports, are exceeding expectations in international tournaments. Recently, Riot announced changes to the Valorant esports scene for 2023 with a focus on weekly in-game matches and international LANs.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Valorant news and updates.