The VALORANT Esports circuit, known as the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), launched in 2023 and quickly became one of the most respected and recognized leagues in esports. Currently, it operates across four regional leagues, each featuring 12 teams. Ahead of the year’s conclusion, Riot Games disclosed significant financial data, revealing the extent of revenue sharing with VCT teams. Let’s explore these figures and their implications for VALORANT Esports.
A Global Esports Phenomenon
The VCT stands out as a unique esports league, bringing together teams from around the globe under a franchised league system inspired by models like the NFL and IPL. In this structure, teams are not relegated based on seasonal performance; instead, new teams can qualify through the VCT Ascension system. Since its debut, the VCT has been widely hailed as a success, positioning VALORANT as one of the leading esports ecosystems worldwide.
Innovative Revenue Sharing Initiatives
In preparation for the 2024 season, Riot Games introduced a new VCT bundle in VALORANT. This bundle included:
- A weapon skin for the classic gun
- A gun buddy featuring team logos
- A player card designed by participating teams
Riot also implemented a revenue-sharing model for the VALORANT Champions 2024 bundle, dividing the revenue into 60 parts. Of these, the 16 teams that qualified for the Champions event each received two parts, while the remaining 28 teams earned one part each.
According to Riot Games, $44.3 million from the VCT and Champions bundles was distributed among participating teams in 2024. This amount, alongside additional stipends and prize pool allocations, brought the total revenue shared with teams to over $78.4 million for the year.
Looking at the Bigger Picture
While Riot Games hasn’t disclosed the exact revenue generated from this year’s VALORANT Champions skin bundle, the disclosed figures hint at the immense financial scale of in-game content sales. The success of the VCT bundles raises questions about the total revenue Riot generates from its extensive lineup of skin bundles throughout the year.
This level of financial support underscores Riot Games’ commitment to building a sustainable ecosystem for VALORANT Esports, ensuring teams are well-supported and incentivized for their contributions to the competitive scene.
