Valorant Ignition Series announced by Riot, events coming soon

Olivia Richman Published 17/06/2020

Riot has hinted that Valorant had big esports plans ahead of it, and it looks like that is coming to fruition with the Valorant Ignition Series.

The global tournament series is the publisher’s first step towards building up the tactical first-person shooter’s esports scene, which has already drawn in a lot of big names from Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and beyond without any official details being made public. While there have been some early Twitch Rivals tournaments, the Ignition Series will be the first chance for many teams to prove their talent in the new competitive title.

“We’re thrilled to pull together the best from gaming and esports to deliver a program that will showcase Valorant on a global scale,” Whalen Rozelle, senior director of esports at Riot Games, said. “The Ignition Series will unlock the creative potential of some of our top partners and will help us build an esport from the ground up that is authentic to the Valorant community.”

Riot has partnered with more than 20 esports organizations to create this worldwide tournament. Each event organizer will have their own open qualifiers, show matches, and invitationals featuring top players, content creators, and talented amateurs. Riot said that they hope the Ignition Series will provide each region with a chance to build a competitive legacy in Valorant.

G2 Valorant Ignition Series opening weekend

Valorant esports to debut with Ignition Series

The first of many Ignition Series events will begin June 19 with the European G2 Esports Invitational, presented by Red Bull, and the Rage Valorant Japan Invitational. According to Riot’s press release, events will be coming later to North America, Brazil, Latin America, Korea, South East Asia, Oceania, Europe, Russia, Turkey, and the Middle East. Details about those events will be revealed in the near future.

“We are ready to open the Valorant Ignition Series and continue the success of the G2 EU Brawls in an all-out entertainment-filled invitational,” Carlos Rodriguez, CEO of G2 Esports, said. “Our partnership with Riot has helped make the European League of Legends community the force it is today and contributed to the success of the LEC, and I have no doubt that we will do the same for Valorant.”

Rodriguez explained that Valorant is a “fantastic game” that is a great combination of “casual fun” and a “hardcore competitive experience.” He said that the Ignition Series will show the world what all the “Valorant hype” is about.

Even before the Ignition Series, there has been a lot of hype around Valorant. During the closed beta there were more than 100 Valorant tournaments that took place across the world. The Ignition Series, as explained Riot’s official press release, will make it easier to follow the competitions thanks to a more organized event schedule. The Ignition Series will also spotlight a select amount of tournaments each week, so Valorant fans can discover talented players and top teams the world over.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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