VALORANT’s new VCT seeding system creates ‘group of death’ for Champions
As the VALORANT Champions Tour 2023 season reaches an intense climax, there's no stopping some teams from being placed in what's being dubbed a "group of death."
The VCT format seeds Champions teams into four groups of four, but in a bid to not have number one seeds from each region placed in the same group, Riot has implemented a Draw seed which is intended to share out the levels of ferocity.
But even with Riot's balanced Draw system - first implemented in Masters Tokyo - the VCT has produced an all-time group of death.
VCT 2023 seeds a Group of Death for Champions
Champions, of course, brings together the world's best teams. Every team that attends has earned their spot through a series of events throughout the year, all hoping to get their hands on the trophy.
But some teams are better than others.
Now in the 2023 Champions, reigning Champions LOUD has been seeded into the hardest group of the event, Group D, which also features DRX, Na'Vi, and Team Liquid.
As reigning champions, Loud has also topped the Americas League this year and already finished second in an international event - which are being dominated by Fnatic so far - and is tipped to be the strongest side to take down the current VCT monopoly.
VCT Group of Death could define Champions
Click to enlargeThe challengers in Loud's group consist of EMEA Champions Team Liquid, EMEA League play runners-up Na'Vi, and Pacific League runners-up DRX, who also posed a threat at LOCK//IN, finishing in the top four.
With all teams in Group D rather evenly poised, only with Na'Vi as the 'weak link' yet capable of huge upsets, some of the front-runners for the title could fall.
With Fnatic, the undisputed favourites, in Group C, the outcome of Group D could prove pivotal as to who might be faced with the challenge of usurping the kings of this season.
VCT Champions fixtures will kick off on August 6, where the three-week slug fest to have a champion crowned will get off to a blistering start.