Riot Games announces in-game features for VALORANT Champions 2024

Game developer Riot Games has announced several in-game features and activations ahead of the VALORANT Champions 2024, set to take place August 1st – 25th in South Korea.

For the first time, Riot Games will offer an official Pick’em competition, as well as new drops, a new agent, an event pass and a new skin collection.

VALORANT Champions — the game’s season-ending event — will feature top teams from its four main regions (EMEA, China, Pacific and Americas) competing for the title of World Champion and a share of its $2.25m (~£1.75m) prize pool. Interestingly, the current champions, Evil Geniuses, did not qualify for the event.

In a video titled VALORANT Champions Updates, Riley Yurk, Product Strategist for VALORANT Global Esports and Jack Flannery, Product Manager for Premium Content at Riot Games, discussed the new features. A notable addition for 2024 is Pick’ems, a way for fans to predict the outcome of the tournament. Pick’ems can be made through the VALORANT Esports website or in-game. Players with the most correct picks will receive rewards, such as sprays, gun buddies and an in-game title.

In addition to Pick’ems, Riot Games will reward players who log into the game during the VCT Champions with a spray and player card, among other rewards. The duo also teased VALORANT’s new agent, set to be revealed at the VCT Champions event.

Lastly, Yurk and Flannery announced the 2024 Champions collection of in-game skins and items. The collection will feature a new skin for the Phantom, VALORANT’s assault rifle, and the katana melee weapon. The newest skin will have several notable features, including a kill tracker that changes the look of the weapon, as well as a new finisher featuring the VCT Champions trophy.

Every kill made with the weapon will also play sound bits from the VCT 2024 anthem, which was released earlier this week and features notable K-pop artists KISS OF LIFE and Mark Tuan. As before, a portion of the Champions collection sales will go directly to the partner teams.