100 Thieves Players Upset with Valorant Champions Tour: Last Chance Qualifier Format
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Riot Games
Multiple players of the 100 Thieves (100T) Valorant roster revealed that they were not happy with the official format of the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT): Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) format for North America (NA). Riot Games recently announced the format and schedule for the upcoming event and it stated that the qualifier will take place in a “modified double-elimination bracket” which is essentially a single-elimination bracket throughout the play-ins and upper quarterfinal rounds.
100T pros talked about how the event should not feature a single elimination format, which is reasonable considering the event is about to decide the fate of teams that have been competing for an entire year through just one single-elimination bracket. Players feel it is harsh and unfair. Even Coach Oliver "DickStacy" Tierney of the Australian organization Order took a jab at the controversial format of the upcoming event. It remains to be seen if Riot Games makes any changes to the format of the event after recent criticisms from fans and players alike.
Why a single-elimination bracket for the VCT: NA Last Chance Qualifiers is controversial
Teams have been competing for circuit points throughout 2021 across three stages. Multiple teams, participating in the upcoming qualifier event, have been preparing for months. It can feel unfair to have an entire year’s effort be judged based on a single-elimination bracket. To top it all off, players will be traveling from all over the world to participate in the upcoming event and may end up potentially heading out after just three maps.
Valorant Masters Berlin featured group stages with double elimination brackets and the LCQ could have adopted a similar format. DickStacy sarcastically tweeted about the format announcement “I reckon both Aussie teams are stoked to fly from beautiful Kangaroo land 16 hours + 21 days in quarantine for a potential single bo3 after 9 months of qualifiers.”
100 Thieves’ Nicholas "nitr0" Cannella said on social media that no LAN event should have a single-elimination. His teammates shared the same opinion. 100 Thieves captain Spencer "Hiko" Martin also feels the same way and he said that he is “not a fan of this format.”
Riot Games has taken player feedback seriously in the past and has tweaked Valorant event formats. It remains to be seen if the publisher deems it necessary to make changes to how the upcoming LCQ will play out.
