The highly anticipated VCT Ascension Pacific 2024 is relocating from Tokyo, Japan, to Jakarta, Indonesia.
On August 9, 2024, Riot Games announced the change and provided an explanation for it.
The decision came in response to significant production delays and concerns over tournament quality that arose during the planning stages in the Japanese capital.
The tournament is now set to take place from September 20 to 29, 2024.
Indonesia to host VCT Ascension Pacific 2024
“Ascension is a key tournament in our competitive season, representing a time for celebration and an opportunity to see new stars come to life,” said Riot Games.
While the change is undoubtedly disappointing for Japanese fans, Riot Games has emphasized that the move was necessary to ensure the highest possible standard for teams and spectators.
“Unfortunately, we were not able to land a satisfactory solution in Tokyo to deliver an event of the quality we wanted,” Riot Games explained. “Going forward with the current plan would have forced us to make compromises to the overall quality and accessibility for our fans across APAC.
“We were facing limited broadcast options, restricted format changes, and potentially difficult competitive conditions for our teams,” the company continued.
Riot Games has expressed gratitude for the support of the Indonesian community, whose passion for Valorant played a pivotal role in the decision to relocate.
Riot Games plans to organize live viewing parties in Japan to compensate for the disappointment of Japanese fans.
Further details about these events will be announced on the company’s Japanese social media channels.
In addition to the change in location, the tournament format has undergone a significant overhaul. The new format will feature a 10-team double-elimination bracket played over eight days.
This streamlined structure will allow teams in the lower bracket to compete for the championship.
Matches will be best-of-three in the early rounds, transitioning to best-of-five for the lower and grand finals.
Riot Games will release more information about the qualified teams and brackets in the coming weeks.
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