Riot to test mixed-gender esports competitions in VALORANT soon

Riot Games is introducing mixed-gender tournaments, with these combined events starting in the 2024 VALORANT OFF//SEASON.

Paired with the already established Game Changers circuit, this initiative aims to create more opportunities for diverse talent to compete together on an equal footing, furthering Riot’s commitment to “bridge the systemic gap” in the gaming community.

Riley Yurk, Principal Strategist for VALORANT Esports, shared insights on this upcoming change as part of broader updates to the Game Changers ecosystem: “We believe that mixed rosters are the future,” Yurk said, highlighting how this new initiative will provide more opportunities for “diverse talent” to shine together.

The same year the VCT was introduced, Riot also inaugurated the Game Changers program for women and other marginalized genders. Like in many other esports ecosystems, these tournaments were created to give marginalized genders—identified in the 2024 rulebook as women and non-binary people—a safe space where to compete and grow.

And some pro players, like 2022 World Champion Anastasia “Glance” Anisimova, believe the Game Changers circuit has already made a huge impact in the esport scene, as she disclosed in an interview with Ginx.tv recently. Glance pointed out the increasing presence of women in many of her online matchmaking games and attributed this directly to initiatives like the one fostered by Riot in VALORANT‘s wider scene.

That said, separate leagues were never the objective, but instead just a means towards the end goal of an esport ecosystem that reflects how diverse its community is.

Game Changers has been pivotal in fostering an environment where players of all backgrounds are inspired to pursue their passion for VALORANT and compete without the constraints of “gender segregation,” as Riot defined it. To support this vision, Riot is implementing several new policies designed to cultivate a united and level playing field–starting this OFF//SEASON.

There is no mention of gender in either the official VCT24 Roster Construction Rules or the VALORANT Official Competition Ruleset, meaning there won’t be amendments to the official rulebooks. With the changes to the Premier’s Path to Pro, though, the way towards Challengers and Premiere tournaments will have additional rules to follow.

While details remain hidden, this announcement is expected to mobilize more esport orgs to bring a Game Changers-eligible roster under their wing.