@@slowtabs In Americas' Kickoff Play-ins game 3 between SEN and G2, SEN only needed to win one map to qualify for playoffs. So once they did, the fans, casters and everyone else knew that the rest of the BO3 was kinda pointless so it devolved into whimsy.
This is a huge improvement. I think the only thing that could be contentious is the groups selected for round robins. It does help that more teams will make it out of groups though.
The minimum macthes are still 12 like last year; 2024: -2 Kickoff -5 Stage1 (in the 6group) -5 Stage2 (against 5group) - Total = 12 2023: -2 Kickoff -5 Stage1 (in group) -5 Stage2 (in group) - Total = 12
Nice changes, the only Problem I could see coming up, would be at the end of the next season. I think we will see a lot of collision between scrims with T2 talent and them playing at ascension at the same Time. Hopefully it wont be too bad.
yeah I hope that either Riot also does changes to the T2 schedule or finds another balanced schedule for T1 both options are extremely hard since for T1 they need to take into account when LoL Events happen additionally to having it alligned to the in game Acts and thus releases of new agents and maps as far as I know for T2 only the act schedule is a problem (Premier) but tbf I do not know a lot about the T2 calendar and scene in general
I think when they reveal the VCL calendar they should make stage 3 not be called stage 3, it's after ascension which is the big tournament so it's just an exhibition match, either make it stage one, call it something similar to kick off, make it an off season event not affiliated with challengers (since it has no consequence for next year's ascension run) or just scrap it all together and make an off season tournament where any team can compete (even tier 1 teams if they have a roster, such as sentinels and nrg that had a roster before stage 3) so there are tier 1 teams that brings attention to the tournament and it'd be an official riot event which hopefully brings better marketing and it makes tier 2 teams known to the world, because I just know that if you don't follow tier 2 you don't know who the Funhavers are or that a team of 5 of the best players in ranked are doing what seemed to be impossible
that is a W idea, I do know next to nothing about the T2 calendar but if it is as you described it the whole Valorant ecosystem would profit from that. They even could sell a skin for that and Im sure peole would buy it
Glad they reworked the points system, the fact that heading into stage 2 playoffs, all 3 masters finalists had a scenario where they couldn’t make champs just didn’t feel right at all, hope the changes will fix it
I did tha Maths(dont do drugs) and this year will have 4 more games per league than if we kept last years format and retains the same number of minimum matches one team can have (12).
Wouldn't it rather be 9 more games per league? Kickoff 2024: 19 games Kickoff 2025: 22 games Split 1 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games Split 1 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games Split 2 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games Split 2 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games total IL games 2024: 19+38+38=95 total IL games 2025: 22+42+42=106 106-195=9 I just realized, that I misread your comment XD According to the old format the only numbers that would change is the number of games in groups in stage 1&2 as well as 2 additional games in kickoff. This would add up to this amount of games in group stage (every team from one group plays against every team in the other group): 36 This way we would have had 26 kickoff games, 36+8=44 games in Stage 1, 36+8=44 games in Stage 2 21+44+44=105 games 108>106 thus we would have had 114-106=2 more games with the old format I just did way to much math and logic thinking for nothing. (edit I had the wrong numbers for kickoff 2024, I fixed it)
turns out I didn't misread your comment and just had brain fog, still funny. But yes each team will have 12 games minimum 2 at kickoff 5 at stage 1 5 at stage 2 2+5+5=12
I still think it's very funny that masters Toronto is scheduled when it is. I imagine that the finals will be in Scotiabank arena. But there may be issues with this if either the Raptors or Maple leafs make deep runs in the playoffs. The raptors won't make the NBA playoffs this year so that'll be fine. But the leafs are more than likely going to make the NHL playoffs. For context the stanley cup finals last year ended at the end of june. So riot is basically saying "no way the NHL playoffs last that long again and if they do the Leafs won't make it". And as a Montreal fan, that's hilarious.
can u explain something to me, so riot said they gonna change the map pool every act (~2months) and this means that stage1, toronto, stage2 will have different map pools from each other. What im interested in, how teams that won't qualify for Toronto will prepare to stage2 if they won't know what is the map pool for stage2? how will they know they can rely on some exact map or not? like for me this 'new act new map' thing looks really bad for teams, or am i wrong? maybe they will announce the map changes on the beginning of the previous map pool iteration
do they change every act or every episode? I am confused. To answer your question tho: they can't trust on map specific prep, but they will be able to rely on the prepping of fundamentals also if it changes every act it is very likely, that they can use that prep sometime different in the year. Yeah it sucks if you can't use the prep right away and maybe can't use it ever bc of map/agent changes. But I think it is a good change for the overall skill ceiling. Riot incentivises teams to have a broader map pool or rather teams with a broader map pool are now even more favored. I just hope that riot will announce the mapchanges in advance like they did for Episode 10 Act 1
I dont really get why the stage2 playoffs winner and runner up gets championship points when theyre already qualified for champs. Like doesnt it only matter for 3rd and below?
tbh i was fine with the schedule i like how champions ends in the summer just bc i actually have a chance to go. but if it ends in the fall not a chance. but i understand tho
It does solve the 2nd problem kinda. Kinda because the number of playoff games increased from 8 to 12 but that is the overall number of games. The minimum amount of games you get in the playoffs when you qualify for the grand final (upper bracket sweep as 3rd-6th seed) is 4 which is the same number as last year. But you could potentially play up to 6 games (as 3d-6th seed) in the playoffs when you go up to the final which is 2 more than last year. In total there are 9 more games in each league this year. With 3 more games at Kickoff because the whole group thing isn't needed and thus the 2nd placed from each group do not have to play against each other for the final playoff spot. There also is one more team per league. The baseline minimum number of games is still 12 2 at Kickoff 5 in Stage 1 5 in Stage 2
I think (I am absolutely not sure) it originiated in a plat chat episode (valorant podcast with some casters/important co streamers) some time ago. I do not know the context tho. PlatChat is my guess since I heard the oiling joke there first
I dont get why they dont do it like the EPl play each team 2 times a year 1 in each split kickoff is random but with this dumb groups some teams are gonna be fucked getting like NRG G2 SEN 100T MIBR in 1 group for like a 2G team they might as well not show up
why in 2 splits each team in a region cant play each other 2 times is beyond me so many teams are gonna get cooked from groups they will not be fair as they never are!! but if they all play each other then only the teams have themselves to blame as they have EQUAL opportunities to making events, not just based on who they get in a group
Stage1 and 2 each add 4 extra games for a total of 8 games compared to last year, not doing full round robin removes 6 games (full RR would be 66 games, 2 stages each with 2 groups of 6 has 60 matches). +8-6=+2 matches compared to last year (ignoring kickoffs, I couldn't be arsed)
Last years kickoffs format had 19 matches, with 12 teams this year that format would have 20, the new ESL bracket has 22, so that's an extra 2 games bringing the total to +4 games per league.
Kickoff 2024: groupstage had 5 games per group except group C they had 3 so 2*5+3=13 Playins and Playoffs had 3 games each which makes a toatal of 13+3+3=19 games Split 1 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games Split 2 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games total IL games 2024: 19+38+38=95 Kickoff 2025: 22 games Split 1 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games Split 2 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games total IL games 2025: 22+42+42=106 106-95=9 more games er league this year Sources: vlr gg and Riots news article named: VCT 2025 Season Start: EYNTK (I prefer to not post any links since I don't know if the comment gets deleted then) Playoff bracket I drew on paint to understand the new playoff system for Stage 1 and 2 XD So to answer your question no it is to keep the same amount of games in groupstage off Stage 1 and 2 despite having a team more in the league. Kickoff has 3 more games and Stage 1 and Stage 2 have 4 more games each (in playoffs).
@@fabiosamuco2561 full RR would have been 2x36 games sry to correct you ^^ This year the same format would add 2 games in Group C and thus to the whole of kickoff
@@eschess_ it's a path to more games because now they aren't bound to only playing a full round robin during the season and can easily add more games not because it literally has more games now
Can you answer why they don't do a swiss stage for Champs? 16 teams works perfectly (take a look at League of Legends worlds as an example) and each draw is a banger moment
this might be a silly guess but I'd say it's cause they want to reduce the number of matches and thus time (and money). Since Worlds' playoffs are single elim, they save themselves a ton of games, compared to Valorant's double elim format. But again, idk lmao
That shuffle thing for “better balanced matchups” makes no sense to me. What does that even mean? Why would we want groups to be balanced? What are they balancing for?
“Balancing” the groups is a catch-up mechanic. Shit teams will get grouped together and get the opportunity to earn points they wouldn’t otherwise have. Idk seems kind of lame.
riot fixed their vct schedule by each half time being filled by oiled up thinking man's valorant cam
I hope you really do mean cam lol
@@flippi4611 he misspelled it everyone know what he was trying to mean 👀
@@Izaheal c0m????
Amen
stage 2 playoffs giving points to 1st and 2nd is kinda funny since those two teams would already qualify for champs
Yeah it’s very weird
Hmm I guess you’re right. Redundant for sure
yep seems pretty useless lol
maybe there is some kind of monetary incentive, like riot gives extra money to teams depending on how many points they get. just speculating though.
I guess it'll help in 2026 seeding
less talking more oiling up buddy
there may no longer be meaningless games but that split 'turtle' game was one of the most entertaining, unhinged casting in vct history
Context?
@@slowtabs In Americas' Kickoff Play-ins game 3 between SEN and G2, SEN only needed to win one map to qualify for playoffs. So once they did, the fans, casters and everyone else knew that the rest of the BO3 was kinda pointless so it devolved into whimsy.
@@limSerb ohh yeah thats p pointless, thank you for the info
We could have say PRX vs DRX 8TIMES in vct pacific alone!!!
2x in kickoffs
1x Stage1
2x Stage1 playoffs
1x Stage2
2x Stage2 playoffs
Total 8x
I await 8x TH vs. NAVI XD
This is a huge improvement. I think the only thing that could be contentious is the groups selected for round robins. It does help that more teams will make it out of groups though.
The minimum macthes are still 12 like last year;
2024:
-2 Kickoff
-5 Stage1 (in the 6group)
-5 Stage2 (against 5group)
- Total = 12
2023:
-2 Kickoff
-5 Stage1 (in group)
-5 Stage2 (in group)
- Total = 12
Faria did say they liked the number of matches last year so it makes sense it stayed the same
Yes, but more teams will play more matches.
Nice changes, the only Problem I could see coming up, would be at the end of the next season. I think we will see a lot of collision between scrims with T2 talent and them playing at ascension at the same Time. Hopefully it wont be too bad.
yeah I hope that either Riot also does changes to the T2 schedule or finds another balanced schedule for T1
both options are extremely hard since for T1 they need to take into account when LoL Events happen additionally to having it alligned to the in game Acts and thus releases of new agents and maps
as far as I know for T2 only the act schedule is a problem (Premier) but tbf I do not know a lot about the T2 calendar and scene in general
Babe wake up! TMV uploaded!!!
going back to sleep he hasn't oiled up yet
I think when they reveal the VCL calendar they should make stage 3 not be called stage 3, it's after ascension which is the big tournament so it's just an exhibition match, either make it stage one, call it something similar to kick off, make it an off season event not affiliated with challengers (since it has no consequence for next year's ascension run) or just scrap it all together and make an off season tournament where any team can compete (even tier 1 teams if they have a roster, such as sentinels and nrg that had a roster before stage 3) so there are tier 1 teams that brings attention to the tournament and it'd be an official riot event which hopefully brings better marketing and it makes tier 2 teams known to the world, because I just know that if you don't follow tier 2 you don't know who the Funhavers are or that a team of 5 of the best players in ranked are doing what seemed to be impossible
that is a W idea, I do know next to nothing about the T2 calendar but if it is as you described it the whole Valorant ecosystem would profit from that. They even could sell a skin for that and Im sure peole would buy it
Beatiful, finally! No more single elim games in kickoff/playoffs 😍😍
The VCT schedule won’t work completely unless TMV oils up buddy
Glad they reworked the points system, the fact that heading into stage 2 playoffs, all 3 masters finalists had a scenario where they couldn’t make champs just didn’t feel right at all, hope the changes will fix it
I did tha Maths(dont do drugs) and this year will have 4 more games per league than if we kept last years format and retains the same number of minimum matches one team can have (12).
Wouldn't it rather be 9 more games per league?
Kickoff 2024: 19 games
Kickoff 2025: 22 games
Split 1 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games
Split 1 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games
Split 2 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games
Split 2 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games
total IL games 2024: 19+38+38=95
total IL games 2025: 22+42+42=106
106-195=9
I just realized, that I misread your comment XD
According to the old format the only numbers that would change is the number of games in groups in stage 1&2 as well as 2 additional games in kickoff.
This would add up to this amount of games in group stage (every team from one group plays against every team in the other group): 36
This way we would have had 26 kickoff games, 36+8=44 games in Stage 1, 36+8=44 games in Stage 2
21+44+44=105 games
108>106 thus we would have had 114-106=2 more games with the old format
I just did way to much math and logic thinking for nothing. (edit I had the wrong numbers for kickoff 2024, I fixed it)
turns out I didn't misread your comment and just had brain fog, still funny. But yes each team will have 12 games minimum
2 at kickoff
5 at stage 1
5 at stage 2
2+5+5=12
i was waiting for this i couldnt bother to read it myself
I still think it's very funny that masters Toronto is scheduled when it is. I imagine that the finals will be in Scotiabank arena. But there may be issues with this if either the Raptors or Maple leafs make deep runs in the playoffs. The raptors won't make the NBA playoffs this year so that'll be fine. But the leafs are more than likely going to make the NHL playoffs. For context the stanley cup finals last year ended at the end of june. So riot is basically saying "no way the NHL playoffs last that long again and if they do the Leafs won't make it". And as a Montreal fan, that's hilarious.
why are you getting 7 champ points for winning stage 2 if that qualifies you for champs anyway
to balance out the tally of champ points ?
@@Kavyatejhow does it balance that exactly
Maybe the seeding for champs will be done solely with Champs Point, i.e., winning stage2 doesn't grant you the 1seed for champs draw. Idk
@@lumi2519 at the end of the season.. riot want their point system to look better than what it really is
@@fabiosamuco2561 good shout, I wouldn't have thought about that but this is probably why that was done.
can u explain something to me, so riot said they gonna change the map pool every act (~2months) and this means that stage1, toronto, stage2 will have different map pools from each other. What im interested in, how teams that won't qualify for Toronto will prepare to stage2 if they won't know what is the map pool for stage2? how will they know they can rely on some exact map or not? like for me this 'new act new map' thing looks really bad for teams, or am i wrong? maybe they will announce the map changes on the beginning of the previous map pool iteration
pretty sure they said they'll announce next rotation with the start of each act, so 10 start 11 announced
do they change every act or every episode? I am confused.
To answer your question tho: they can't trust on map specific prep, but they will be able to rely on the prepping of fundamentals also if it changes every act it is very likely, that they can use that prep sometime different in the year. Yeah it sucks if you can't use the prep right away and maybe can't use it ever bc of map/agent changes. But I think it is a good change for the overall skill ceiling. Riot incentivises teams to have a broader map pool or rather teams with a broader map pool are now even more favored. I just hope that riot will announce the mapchanges in advance like they did for Episode 10 Act 1
I dont really get why the stage2 playoffs winner and runner up gets championship points when theyre already qualified for champs. Like doesnt it only matter for 3rd and below?
tbh i was fine with the schedule i like how champions ends in the summer just bc i actually have a chance to go. but if it ends in the fall not a chance. but i understand tho
We about to get a Valorant AP poll for stage 2 groups lmao
what is the use of stage 2 playoff points for top 2
Top2 will qualify for champs right
Seeding maybe?
strat: throw split 1, then build a new, better roster to get through split 2 so that noone can anti you
The gaps would help the tops teams to rest properly.
Also, does this solve the problem of teams not getting enough matches to play?
If the team is bad, it will still only play 13 matches
But honestly, i am watching vct for good gameplay. if somebody isnt, there is many ranked vods online
It does solve the 2nd problem kinda. Kinda because the number of playoff games increased from 8 to 12 but that is the overall number of games. The minimum amount of games you get in the playoffs when you qualify for the grand final (upper bracket sweep as 3rd-6th seed) is 4 which is the same number as last year.
But you could potentially play up to 6 games (as 3d-6th seed) in the playoffs when you go up to the final which is 2 more than last year.
In total there are 9 more games in each league this year. With 3 more games at Kickoff because the whole group thing isn't needed and thus the 2nd placed from each group do not have to play against each other for the final playoff spot. There also is one more team per league.
The baseline minimum number of games is still 12
2 at Kickoff
5 in Stage 1
5 in Stage 2
How will seeding work for ascension promoted teams? Middle of the pack? Or bottom?
#12 seed
Last year they were 11#, so it stands to reason this year they'll be 12#
Can I have the context/origins for the oiling man joke
I think (I am absolutely not sure) it originiated in a plat chat episode (valorant podcast with some casters/important co streamers) some time ago. I do not know the context tho. PlatChat is my guess since I heard the oiling joke there first
I really like the new points system. Rare Riot W.
I dont get why they dont do it like the EPl play each team 2 times a year 1 in each split kickoff is random but with this dumb groups some teams are gonna be fucked getting like NRG G2 SEN 100T MIBR in 1 group for like a 2G team they might as well not show up
why in 2 splits each team in a region cant play each other 2 times is beyond me so many teams are gonna get cooked from groups they will not be fair as they never are!! but if they all play each other then only the teams have themselves to blame as they have EQUAL opportunities to making events, not just based on who they get in a group
is getting rid of full round robin a path to more games you think?
Stage1 and 2 each add 4 extra games for a total of 8 games compared to last year, not doing full round robin removes 6 games (full RR would be 66 games, 2 stages each with 2 groups of 6 has 60 matches).
+8-6=+2 matches compared to last year (ignoring kickoffs, I couldn't be arsed)
Last years kickoffs format had 19 matches, with 12 teams this year that format would have 20, the new ESL bracket has 22, so that's an extra 2 games bringing the total to +4 games per league.
Kickoff 2024: groupstage had 5 games per group except group C they had 3 so 2*5+3=13 Playins and Playoffs had 3 games each which makes a toatal of 13+3+3=19 games
Split 1 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games
Split 2 2024: 30 games in groups + 8 games in playoffs = 38 games
total IL games 2024: 19+38+38=95
Kickoff 2025: 22 games
Split 1 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games
Split 2 2024: 15 games in each group --> 30 games +12 games in playoffs = 42 games
total IL games 2025: 22+42+42=106
106-95=9 more games er league this year
Sources: vlr gg and Riots news article named: VCT 2025 Season Start: EYNTK (I prefer to not post any links since I don't know if the comment gets deleted then)
Playoff bracket I drew on paint to understand the new playoff system for Stage 1 and 2 XD
So to answer your question no it is to keep the same amount of games in groupstage off Stage 1 and 2 despite having a team more in the league. Kickoff has 3 more games and Stage 1 and Stage 2 have 4 more games each (in playoffs).
@@fabiosamuco2561 full RR would have been 2x36 games sry to correct you ^^
This year the same format would add 2 games in Group C and thus to the whole of kickoff
@@eschess_ it's a path to more games because now they aren't bound to only playing a full round robin during the season and can easily add more games not because it literally has more games now
KRU gonna go nuclear in stage 2 just to lose the finals but qualify for champs
Can you answer why they don't do a swiss stage for Champs? 16 teams works perfectly (take a look at League of Legends worlds as an example) and each draw is a banger moment
this might be a silly guess but I'd say it's cause they want to reduce the number of matches and thus time (and money). Since Worlds' playoffs are single elim, they save themselves a ton of games, compared to Valorant's double elim format. But again, idk lmao
one day half your comments wont be about oiling up. But today is not that day
That shuffle thing for “better balanced matchups” makes no sense to me. What does that even mean? Why would we want groups to be balanced? What are they balancing for?
They want the games to be good not just 2 teams rolling their group hopefully
I think that are doing that because stage 2 playoff results lead directly into champs now
Ascension?
go serpent kings, best vct team
“Balancing” the groups is a catch-up mechanic. Shit teams will get grouped together and get the opportunity to earn points they wouldn’t otherwise have. Idk seems kind of lame.
wtf is up with the regular season? anything but everyone plays everyone is a disaster worst change ever
My brother, it's just kickoff, which is exactly the same kickoff as last year