Game Changers deserve global opportunities, but can Riot make them sustainable?

The answer should be easy. The Game Changers circuit is full of talented players who deserve the same opportunities as the male scenario. However, this equality can be difficult to achieve, as there are still many deep questions and issues that need to be addressed.

Before diving into the international stage, it is important to give you some context on the Game Changers circuit. The female and inclusive scene has regional tournaments like every esports title has, but the difference lies in the lack of a public. While the male scenario has an arena with fans supporting them, the Game Changers players don't see fans the majority of the time they play.

Playing without feeling the energy of the public and the fan support can make a big difference in a player's confidence. Not only that, but reaching the international stage is a dream that many can never achieve, as there is only one international event per year. While the male scenario has three, the inclusive scenario has only one shot to make it to the biggest and only event of the year. Can the increase in international experiences actually bring more visibility to the scene and opportunities to the players?

To talk about any esports title, you have to talk about players. We are talking about the people who made every competitive video game possible. If there are no spaces for players to thrive, how can they take the esports scene to the top? What would it have been like for players such as Sacy, aspas, TenZ, Ethan, and so many others without their successful international runs?

Without the experience of playing for something big, players like florescent, alexis, meL, daiki, mimi, and Petra would never be recognized for their talent. It is thanks to the international experience that the players can become a better version of themselves and build a name out of their regional bubble.

After trying so hard, year after year, defeat after defeat, daiki could finally reach international glory and bring her name and Brazil's glory to the world. That would never be possible without experience, without opportunities.

Having players like florescent finally reach Tier 1 and gain recognition beyond the Game Changers circuit is further proof that giving the right opportunities to these players can change the entire scene.

It is difficult to bring visibility to an esports that has one international event per year. If you are familiar with the regional tournaments or even other bigger esports titles like League of Legends or Counter-Strike 2, the biggest views come from international events. The LoL Worlds is the most viewed esports tournament and, in 2025, it reached 6.7 million peak viewers.

To compare, the VALORANT Champions 2025 tournament reached a peak of 1.4 million viewers, while the Game Changers Championship didn’t even hit a million, peaking at 228,672 viewers.

There are multiple reasons for this discrepancy. It's an inclusive scenario tournament, which already means it is not getting the same viewership as the male scenario. It's also poorly promoted over the year since it only happens at the end. How can viewership interest be sustained if everything comes down to a single 10-day tournament at the very end? It is not possible.

The lack of visibility is a huge issue. Fewer viewers mean fewer sponsors and less financial support for teams to maintain their rosters. Every year, we hear about more Game Changers teams being dismantled because organizations can’t invest in tournaments with low viewership. No money, no opportunities.

A few days after the Game Changers Championship ended, GIANTX announced its departure from the scene. Ninetails may also struggle to continue due to financial unsustainability as a new project. In a few days, we might lose two of the ten teams participating in the event. With the number of organizations leaving, Game Changers might never see another international event.

The format of the biggest event of the year is also awful for the teams. Some of them invested a lot to be present and travel to be out of the competition after two matches. The tight schedule also harms the teams that end their regional run very close to the international tournament, while others have long breaks between events.

Even though the Game Changers circuit deserves an opportunity to show their talent, that will most likely not happen outside of their only international event. Just like the Ascension and Challengers teams, the organizations are making everything on their power to keep their roster alive.

While Riot has not found a sustainable way for the Tier 2 and 3 teams to survive, there is not much these organizations can do to change the outcome. The lack of visibility, opportunities, and resources will still be big problems in 2026 and probably in the upcoming years.

One of the solutions is to find a more diverse revenue that is not fully reliant on sponsorships. Merchandise, new content deals, and other forms of revenue could be really helpful for the esports ecosystem. Still in this field, it would also be interesting to find microfinancing solutions, encouraging smaller and localized financial support to grow smaller teams.

Large prize pools and bonuses for teams and players can incentivize organizations to invest in younger talent. Academy teams, university esports programs, and unique experiences with pro players can all help develop new talent and guide them into the competitive scene.

On the other hand, engaging the community can change the scene. Focused content for local audiences, reaching international fans through social media, and hosting local tournaments can all be crucial to boosting a tournament’s visibility and traction. Beyond that, organizing events where Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams compete offers younger talent a chance to grow, while attracting new fans and potential sponsors.

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