Riot Games has announced the expansion of the Riot Games Arena in Berlin through the construction of a second esports stage called Studio Stage.
The new venue will operate alongside the existing Arena Stage. This will allow European Valorant (VCT EMEA) and League of Legends (LEC) matches to be held simultaneously, resolving scheduling conflicts between the two ecosystems within the same complex.
The expansion became necessary following the increase in VCT EMEA Stage 2 participants to 16 teams, as four squads from the second-tier Valorant Challenger League (VCL) joined the competition. The expected strain on the calendar prompted organizers to move Valorant matches to weekends. Studio Stage will host VCT EMEA Stage 2 regular-season matches all the way through to the start of the playoffs.
Unlike the main stage, Studio Stage will not accommodate a live audience. Riot Games acknowledges that this decision may disappoint some fans, but argues that it will ensure uninterrupted online broadcasts and allow investments to be redirected toward large-scale live events for both esports titles.
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