Valorant is introducing Premier, a new competitive game mode that will go “beyond ranked” in some very intriguing ways. Valorant’s release by Riot Games has always been largely centred on high-level competitive gaming. Valorant, being a direct rival to Counter-Strike, must continuously demonstrate that it is the greatest environment for the world’s finest FPS talent. While Riot is confident in their ranked play, Premier is the next step in establishing peak Valorant competition as the standard.
The addition of a new competitive game mode to Valorant is not altogether unexpected. Riot previewed a new game style and provided a look into the future of Valorant’s competitive offering in early 2022. Riot intended to give its finest players an even greater aim than the Radiant tier in ranked gameplay. As of now, the only way to get beyond Radiant in Valorant is to join a professional esports team. There is nothing else in the game.
Premier is a new mode that will start with an alpha test in Brazil and then extend dependent on future development success. In Premier, users will be able to establish ally teams and compete against them in a season with pre-scheduled matches. Each “season” lasts a few weeks and culminates in a playoff between the best teams in each division, culminating in a Division Champion. Premier, in effect, establishes organised league-play inside Valorant without the need for a separate organisational body or any other non-automated monitoring.
The Brazil beta will concentrate on some major Premier features, but it is just a piece of what Riot has planned for the complete release. Alpha features include team formation with logos and team colours, matchmaking, a division ranking score system, and end-of-season Valorant tournament play including map selects and bans. The Alpha will, of course, test Premier’s servers to guarantee a seamless debut.
Premier’s precise design is still being worked out, but early Alpha details should reveal what Valorant gamers might expect. Players form a Valorant team of friends and acquaintances, arrange weekly matching sessions, climb their division’s scoreboard, and maybe enter the division’s playoffs with the chance to win the Division Championship. The next season will pit the squad against more equally skilled opponents.
Valorant individuals will be able to demonstrate their individual talent via ranked play, while Premier will enable teams of players to demonstrate their real competitive potential. It’s not only for Valorant’s top players, though. Everyone will be allowed to participate as long as participants can create teams. It might be a significant step forward not just for Valorant, but also for esports in general.
