Riot Games has officially updated the VCT EMEA Kickoff Europe Qualifier playoffs format, replacing the initial bracket with a Swiss system. The decision was made following widespread dissatisfaction from the European community, which criticized the previous ruleset for creating unfair conditions for the teams.
The changes were announced on October 28 by Tomek Borowka, VALORANT's Esports Product Manager for the EMEA region, in response to a barrage of criticism the day before. The main cause of the controversy was the original double-elimination format, in which teams from the open qualifiers were placed directly into the lower bracket. Meanwhile, eight invited organizations, including Joblife, UCAM Esports, and Eintracht Frankfurt, started the tournament directly in the upper bracket quarterfinals.
The competition will now be held in two stages, ensuring equal conditions for all 16 participants.
In the first stage, all teams will compete in a Swiss system. To advance, rosters must secure three wins (with a record of 3-0, 3-1, or 3-2), while three losses will result in elimination from the tournament. Based on the results of this stage, the top eight teams will advance to the next phase.
In the second stage, the top eight teams will be divided into two groups of four. They will play in a single-elimination format. The two group winners will secure spots in the VCT EMEA Kickoff tournament, where they will join Riot Games' eight partnered teams, as well as representatives from the Turkish qualifier and the MENA region.
The community reacted positively to Riot Games' prompt actions. Strategic coach Martin "Anderzz" Schelasin highly praised the developers' willingness to listen to the players. Esports athlete Martin "Magnum" Peňkov, who had previously strongly criticized the old ruleset, also welcomed the changes, urging the community to thank the company for quickly rectifying the situation and providing clear communication.
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