Competition is at the heart of VALORANT gameplay since two teams must work to best their opponents. Players can already compete against similarly skilled opponents in the ranked playlist, but some dedicated teams have made it clear they want a more competitive environment. Enter Premier.
The new Premier game mode will fill this role, providing a more tournament-styled system for the most dedicated teams.
The VALORANT Premier game mode serves as a new path-to-pro mode allowing players to build a five-person team to compete in a more competitive environment than the traditional ranked mode. Starting in 2024, Premier will become the primary entry point to professional VALORANT via VCT Challengers events.
When does Premier launch in VALORANT?
Premier mode fully launched on Aug. 29, 2023, at the start of Episode Seven, Act Two. The first season, titled Launch Stage, had a one-week enrollment period and then seven weeks of play, with one week dedicated to each map.
During a Premier season, teams will play up to weekly matches during the weekly queue window on a featured map. Queue windows are zone-specific. Teams will earn 100 points for a win, 25 for a loss, and no points if they do not play. Teams with at least 675 points earned will qualify for the tournament at the end of the season. Each playoff bracket consists of eight teams.
How to play Premier in VALORANT
Players will be able to access Premier from the main menu of VALORANT under the Play button.
To play Premier, players must verify their accounts via SMS verification, have an account that is in good standing with Riot, and have finished rank placements at least once during their account’s lifetime.
Teams will be split up into different skill divisions across five different categories: Open, Intermediate, Advanced, Elite, and Contender (from lowest to highest). Skill division will be determined by the average MMR of the five highest-ranked players on a team.
How to join or create a team in Premier mode in VALORANT
Prior to the start of weekly matches during a season, there will be an enrollment period for players to form teams. Players can either create their own team of between five and seven players or join an existing team.
If you miss enrollment, you cannot play during the season. New players can be added during the season, provided they do not cause the team to change skill divisions.
There are no rank restrictions for players; a team with players all at similar ranks or completely different ranks will be placed in a skill division based on the MMR of the top five players. During enrollment, teams must also select their region to compete in and will then be given recommendations based on the lowest average server latency.
How can I go pro in VALORANT through Premier?
Beginning in 2024, Premier will open a path for players that want to go pro.
Starting in Episode Eight, Immortal 3 players will have the opportunity to qualify for the highest Premier division, Contenders. Contenders qualification will be a requirement when signing up or competing in regional VCT Challengers open qualifiers.
If your team is not successful in the open qualifier, then you can compete in Contenders for the Premier season. Contenders teams that perform well in the final playoffs of the season will be eligible to compete in a promotion/relegation tournament, which can earn them promotion up into their regional Challengers league.
Premier rewards in VALORANT
Players who play at least one Premier match during the Launch Stage will earn a player card. The members of a team that wins its division’s playoff tournament will also get a unique gun buddy and a player card.
Players will also receive crests when they play two matches during a week, and some might earn the illustrious Flawless Crest if they play and win every game during a season.
