Valorant garnered massive popularity at the onset of its release among gamers of different regions. Seeing its immense craze, an esports tournament was held just two years after the game’s release. The Valorant Champions Tour, also called VCT, is organized by the Riot Games, and the VCT Pacific Kickoff 2024 is set to start on the 17th of February.
The tournament will last nine days, with the group stages taking place in the heart of South Korea, Seoul. VCT has been breaking viewership records recently, and this year’s Pacific Kickoff will be no different. VCT Pacific Kickoff will be the inaugural tournament of the Asian leg played in the VCT international leagues.
Eleven top teams from the Pacific regions will participate in the tournament and aim to achieve the ultimate glory. Let’s explore these teams, their top players, and the odds for the exciting tournament starting in a few days.
VCT Pacific Kickoff Tournament Format
There will be three divisions for the competition. The Group Stage, which takes place from February 17–21, 2024, will be the first. All 11 teams will play in their respective double-elimination brackets to earn a position in the Play-ins or the Playoffs, with their groupings determined by random seeding. The VCT Pacific League 2023 champion, Paper Rex, was given an automatic bye for their opening game.
There will be just one round-robin format for the Play-ins. The top three teams from this group stage and the best team from here will compete in a single-elimination playoff tournament.
The winner and the runner-up at Masters Madrid, the inaugural worldwide VCT competition of 2024, will represent the Pacific region.
Tournament Predictions
Most participating teams are entering the tournament with new faces, so seeing the players unfold their potential on the big stage will be interesting. The teams had ample time to reinforce their group with valuable roster changes ahead of the competition. All these new dynamics have made it very difficult to point out a clear winner among the lot; nevertheless, let’s explore the odds based on merits and potential talent.
First is the Paper Rex, hailing from Singapore and the hot favorite to win the whole thing. The former VCT champions are in high spirits as the tournament approaches. Jinggg, the ace for the Paper Rex in recent years, has left the group, but that has not impacted the team’s overall capability. The team is lucky to fill the void left by Jinggg in the form of Monyet, who has showcased exceptional skill and abilities.
The addition of Monyet has solidified the roster even further and enhanced the flexibility of the PRX with his prolific control. Most Valorant esports fans have chosen the Paper Rex as the most likely winner of this edition. Talking about the odds, the opening day clash between Gen.G and Rex Regum Qoen has the odds of -588 to +340, respectively. You can also join the excitement of games with the Bet365 Bonus Code and make the whole experience of supporting your team even more exciting? Getting involved in your team’s victory and getting amazing discounts on the side is always pleasurable for any fan.
DRX and Zeta Division are also strong contenders for the trophy. Although DRX has never won an international trophy, its regional hegemony remains unparalleled. In terms of form, they have outclassed the rest. Despite this, the Paper Rex defeated the Koreans, resulting in massive roster changes for this tournament.
DRX’s two vital members, Zest and Rb, left the group, and to fill their boots, they have signed two new members possessing fantastic talent. One of the signed members is the academy player who goes by the name Flashback, while the other is Foxy9, who they dropped last season. With this renewed look, DRX will be a promising title contender in the VCT Pacific Kickoff 2024.
Zeta Divison is one of Japan’s most prolific Valorant teams, producing several notable performances in recent years. They had a fantastic run in the VCT 2023 Pacific LCQ, which earned them a spot at Champions. While the Japanese team is full of talent, their disappointing campaign in the 2023 Champions prompted them to make several roster changes. In November last year, the team added two new faces, Yuran and Hirononn. This signing of two new 18-year-olds transformed the team into a perfect blend of youth and experience.
Apart from these frontrunners for the trophy, team BLEED and Team Secret have the potential to surprise everyone. The established title contenders need to be wary of these two teams. The signing of El Diablo by the Singaporean Organization has given BLEED a massive boost ahead of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Team Secret is known for its unpredictable nature, which makes them dangerous. They were on the course to a successful season last year in the League and LCQ Pacific events, but they lost at essential stages. Team Secret will compete in the VCT with renewed hope and belief and strive to cause major upsets.
Final Thoughts
All eleven teams are gearing up for the VCT Pacific Kickoff 2024, an event guaranteed to excite the Valorant esports fans. The competition is ever so tight with the strong sides like Paper Rex, DRX, and Zeta Division. One can never predict the outcome of each game, as every team carries the ability to attain an astounding victory. It is only a matter of time until we have the teams that will secure their spot in the Masters Madrid.
