The first summer month ended really hot for Fnatic! The prize of $350,000 may sound not as impressive but the direct qualifying into Champions events sure does! This achievement marks a significant milestone for Fnatic, solidifying their position as a force to be reckoned with in the Valorant scene. Their journey to the Champions events is now set, and we can expect to see more of their impressive gameplay.
But let us not get ahead of ourselves. The Valorant Masters tournament in Tokyo was a great e-sports event, and it deserves our closest attention. The tournament was a showcase of top-tier Valorant play, with teams from around the globe battling it out for supremacy. It was a testament to the growth and popularity of Valorant as an e-sport, and a clear indication that the future of the game is bright.
VCT: a brief overview
VCT is an abbreviation for Valorant Champions Tour, also known as Valorant World Championship. Its introductory first season started in 2021. The current tournament outline is in line with the new partnership ecosystem, announced by Whalen “Riot Magus” Roselle in August 2022:
RIOT Games selected 30 teams to represent new International Leagues: Pacific, EMEA, and Americas. After the kick-off competition that lasted three weeks and featured all 30 teams, the best players win entry to Masters. Then, teams compete in their respective leagues, giving us three exciting events to follow:
- Pacific league played in Seoul;
- EMEA fought in Berlin;
- and Americas played in LA.
The winners of those three met at the Masters stage in Tokyo to compete for slots in Champions.
Viewership statistics
The event translation views peaked at 830,369 fans. The average number of spectators was about 338,222. The viewers watched 27,931,428 total hours of the championship.
Not everyone watches just for the thrill of seeing their favorite team victory. Many e-sports fans enjoy the opportunity to make money from such significant cybersports events. And the number of online bookmakers seems to be just as large. Easy to get lost in the myriad of platforms, not so easy to decide, which one to choose. If you want to try your luck and skill in eSports betting, follow the link to know everything about Valorant betting sites with guides, reviews, and ratings!
VCT’23 Tokyo Masters: tournament format and prize pool
More details about the event outline and the award at stake.
Format
The group stage was held from June 11 to 14. It was carried out in GSL format: 2 double-elimination format (GSL) groups, 8 Low Seed teams. Each group had 4 teams. After the best-of-three group stage matches, the two best teams from each group proceeded to Playoffs.
Playoffs were conducted from June 16 to 25. Conducted in the double-elimination bracket, they included 8 teams: 4 High Seeds and 4 Qualified teams. All matches were played in Bo3 format, except for Lower Bracket Final and Grand Final which were Bo5.
The top three EMEA players got an entry to the Champions stage. The last-placed EMEA team will participate in EMEA Last Chance Qualifier.
Prize pool
The prize pool for Tokyo Masters is $1,000,000 divided between four leaders:
- $350,000 for the gold medal;
- $200,000 for a silver;
- bronze will get the team $125,000;
- and the outsider that did not get into the top three will get $75,000.
Venue and sponsorships
Tokyo Masters was an offline event carried out at Tipstar Dome Chiba. The Lower Final and Grand Final took place at Makuhari Messe.
The event was sponsored by:
- Aim Lab
- AWS
- HyperX
- INZONE
- Mastercard
- Prime Gaming
- Red Bull
- Secretlab
- Verizon
Participants
Top seeded teams
- Fnatic, United Kingdom (EMEA League)
- LOUD, Brazil (Americas League)
- Team Liquid, Netherlands (EMEA League)
- Paper Rex, Singapore (Pacific League)
Groop stage teams
- FUT Esports, Turkey (EMEA League)
- Natus Vincere, Ukraine (EMEA League)
- NRG, USA (Americas League)
- Evil Geniuses, USA (Americas League)
- DRX, South Korea (Pacific League)
- T1, South Korea (Pacific League)
- Attacking Soul Esports, China (Pacific League)
- EDward Gaming, China (Pacific League)
Winners
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- The golden first place rightfully belongs to Fnatic who fought off Evil Geniuses to win it.
- Therefore, Evil Geniuses were forced to be happy with the silver (2nd place).
- Paper Rex lost to Evil Geniuses in the Upper Brakcet Final, so they took third place.
- And finally, NRG did not go further than Lower Bracket Semifinal, so they are considered fourth.
Congratulations to Fnatic, what else can we say?
Final Words
As the dust settles on the Valorant VCT’23 Tokyo Masters, it’s time to reflect on a tournament that has truly been a spectacle. The event, which brought together some of the most talented teams from around the globe, has not only showcased the highest level of competitive Valorant play but also highlighted the growth and potential of the esports industry.
The Tokyo Masters has been a testament to the spirit of competition, with each match filled with intense moments, strategic brilliance, and individual heroics.
The participating teams have demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork, pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible in Valorant.
The thrilling matches, nail-biting finishes, and the sheer unpredictability of outcomes have kept fans on the edge of their seats, reinforcing the fact that in Valorant, every round counts. The tournament has also been a platform for emerging talents to shine. New stars have been born, underdogs have risen, and established veterans have reaffirmed their dominance.
