Valorant to host First Strike event to crown first world champion

gabhernandez Published 23/09/2020

Riot Games has announced First Strike, a series of regional tournaments that will determine a regional champion, then pit those teams against each other to crown a world champion.

First Strike is the first tournament that is organized and funded solely by Riot games. Whalen Rozelle, Senior Director of Global Esports at Riot Games explained the tournament layout in a video posted to Twitter. 

“This extended event will provide the first opportunity for players in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and other places around the world to earn the title of Valorant champion in their region.”

Starting in October third-party organizers will host tournaments in each of the regions participating. No official events have been attached to the series as of yet.

Valorant First Strike will run from December 3 to 6.

This format allows for both established teams and amateur squads to compete and showcase their skills. The series is similar to the one currently being used in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which is using a series of regional events to determine participants for the next major.

Players who are 16 years old and above and have reached Immortal 1 will be eligible to compete in the qualifiers, but more details on rules and policies will be released at a later date. 

Valorant esports continue to grow with world championship

The Valorant team suggested that more changes to the game will come because of the new tournament, which includes improved observer features that have been requested by tournament organizers. A number of patches have already provided more support for esports production and balance changes in the game are fairly frequent. 

Valorant has quickly grown as an esport, and many organizations have hosted their own tournaments that have been sponsored by Valorant. Many teams have been formed in these tournaments and pro players have flocked to the esport from games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Fortnite, and Overwatch. 

This announcement comes after a very successful Ignition Series, which saw a slew of tournaments hosted by tournament organizers who partnered with Riot and put forth over 25 different events around the world. 

Read Also

Slots

Top 5 Trending Games at Stake.com to Try This Week Ben Boland Looking for the latest games that will add fizz and fission to your week? Whatever your taste, Stake is a leading crypto casino that is full of excellent titles. Whether you’d like to channel your inner Viking, take a mythological Greek trip, enjoy some Wild West thrills or crank up the pace with horror, there’s something here for you to try. If you love nothing better than an exciting new ...

Twitch

iShowSpeed Goes Mainstream: Named to Variety’s Young Hollywood Impact Report 2026 Khizar Mundia 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most memorable years to date for Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr., with the YouTuber going mainstream and earning a spot on Variety’s Young Hollywood Impact Report 2026. iShowSpeed's livestreaming of the FIFA World Cup 2026 seemed to be a major accomplishment for the YouTuber, and many assumed it would be his biggest highlight for the year. However, the American seems to have ...

Twitch

Why Are Users Angry About Twitch’s AI Training Feature? Khizar Mundia Twitch is once again in hot water — and this time it's because of an AI training feature that the livestreaming platform has unexpectedly sprung onto its users. The streaming industry thrives on controversies, and livestreaming platform Twitch is also regularly embroiled in drama. The two recent instances involved Emily “ExtraEmily” Zhang and Zack “Asmongold” Hoyt. Several viewers have demanded that both streamers be permanently banned for different offenses. However, ...

News

3 Sites Like Stake.us To Try This Weekend Ian John Stake.us has become one of the most popular sweepstakes casino names in the United States. Through its in-house coins, it is easy to play a wide range of games without making a purchase. But it should be noted that it is not the only social casino worth a closer look and if you are looking to broaden your gaming horizons this weekend, we have given you a list of three ...

Dota 2

TEAM VISION survive 90+ minute TI15 game against Falcons to save everyone’s predictions Michael Hassall TEAM VISION has defeated Team Falcons 2-1 in an unexpected match-of-the-day at The International 2026, TI15. The three-game instant-classic went the full distance, including a 94-minute final game to secure VISION’s win. VISION, are widely regarded as favorites to win the tournament, and one of the most predicted teams to win in both in-game TI15 predictions, and predictions markets. A loss could have seen thousands of predictors disappointed. As mentioned, ...

Dota 2

How To Watch Dota 2 the International 2026 — Where To Watch TI15 Live Hannan Mundia Every esports game has one tournament that triumphs over every other. For Dota 2, that tournament is The International, and the 2026 edition is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ones yet. The premier tournament is taking place in Shanghai, China — but if you are wondering how to watch Dota 2 The International, then what are your options? Considering how popular Dota 2’s The International tournament ...

Pokemon

New Leak Suggests More Classic Pokémon Games Are Coming To Switch Zachary Roberts Earlier this year, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were ported to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Now, a new leak suggests that Nintendo and company are going to repeat that with other classic titles. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were dropped on both the Switch and Switch 2 in February. They were a huge success, selling incredibly well. Within six weeks, they'd already ...