While the new rule changes regarding relegation for professional VALORANT teams announced yesterday were well received by the esports community at large, many want Riot to go a step further and apply the rules to all teams, not just those that emerged from Ascension.
A Simple Guide to Valorant Esports (VCT)
Yesterday, Riot Games rolled out new rule changes for VALORANT esports for 2025, giving teams that reach the VCT international leagues via Ascension the chance to stay if they perform at a certain level each season. The “promotion window” has been reduced from two years to one, but the teams in question will be allowed to remain in their VCT international league if they qualify for Champions, and can at least guarantee a spot in that year’s Ascension tournament if they finish in the top eight of their league.
But many in the pro scene believe that performing to avoid relegation from the top leagues should also apply to affiliated teams, not just the Ascension teams. YouTube streamer Ludwig, co-owner of Moist Moguls, responded directly to the official VCT announcement on X, formerly Twitter, with exactly these concerns, saying: "so that randomly selected VCT teams can never win a series or even a map and not risk relegation, WHY?"
While Challengers teams will have the opportunity to extend their time in VCT as long as they perform well, it will also be more difficult for those teams to break into the league. If an Ascension team qualifies for Champions, the number of teams that can be promoted from that season's Ascension tournament will be reduced from two to one. Additionally, Challengers teams entering Ascension may also have to play a team that has been competing against top competition all year.
