Valorantis announcing a new competitive game mode named Premier that will go “beyond ranked” in some very exciting ways. Riot Games' release ofValoranthas always been primarily focused on high-level competitive play. As a direct competitor toCounter-Strike,Valoranthas to constantly prove it’s the best place for the world’s top FPS talent. While Riot is confident in its ranked play, Premier is the next step toward normalizing peakValorantcompetition.
The announcement of a new competitive game mode forValorantis not entirely a surprise. In early 2022, Riot shared a glimpse at the future ofValorant’s competitive offering and teased a new game mode. Riot wanted to offer players an even higher goal beyond its ranked mode’s Radiant tier for its best players. As of right now, the only path forward fromachieving Radiant inValorantis to pursue a spot on a professional esports team. There’s nothing else to be found in-game.
RELATED:Valorant Battle Pass Features Tribute to Fan Who Passed Away
Premier is a new mode that will begin with an alpha test in Brazil before expanding based on future development progress. In Premier, players will be able to form teams of allies and then compete with those teams across a season of pre-scheduled matches. Each “season” lasts a few weeks and ends in a playoff of a division’s top teams, resulting in a Division Champion. In effect, Premier createsstructured league-play withinValorantwithout the need of a separate organizational body or any non-automated oversight whatsoever.
The announced beta for Brazil will focus on several key features for Premier, but is only a portion of what Riot has planned for the full release. Alpha features include team creation with logos and team colors, matchmaking, a scoring system for division ranking, and end-of-seasonValoranttournament playfeaturing map picks and bans. Of course, the Alpha will also be testing Premier’s servers to ensure a smooth launch.
The exact shape of Premier still needs to be fleshed out, but early Alpha details should make clear whatValorantplayers can look forward to. Players make aValorantteamof friends and acquaintances, they schedule weekly windows to participate in matchmaking, they climb their division’s scoreboard, and potentially make the division’s playoffs with an opportunity to win a Division Championship. The next season will then place the team among more similarly-skilled competition.
Valorantplayers will be able to use ranked play to prove their individual skill, while Premier will allow teams of players to prove their true competitive potential. It isn’t just forValorant’s highest-level players, either. So long as players can form teams, everyone will be able to participate. It could be a major step forward not just forValorantbut for esports in general.
