Valorant, the groundbreaking first-person shooter (FPS) game developed by Riot Games, will not be making an appearance at the highly anticipated 2024 Esports World Cup due to a schedule clash.

According to Esports advocate, “Riot’s popular shooter was excluded due to scheduling conflicts” as the Valorant Championship Tour (VTC) is held from [August 1 to August 25], and the Esports World Cup runs from [July 3 to August 25]. This overlap in dates has led to Valorant’s absence from the Esports World Cup.

Riot’s Valorant championship tour will coincide with the latter half of the Esports World Cup tournament, posing a significant challenge for the VCT participants. These dedicated gamers will be preoccupied with qualifying for their regional events leading up to the tournament date, making it a tough juggling act to perform at their peak during the Esports World Cup.

The Esports World Cup will feature 20 events in 19 video game titles, including Teamfight Tactics and League of Legends, both of which Riot Games developed. Its prize pool sits at over US$60 million, the largest in esports history. This should serve as a compelling incentive for individuals considering a career in esports to join the fray. 

Right now, the VCT timetable makes it hard for teams to join the Esports World Cup. However, the 2025 schedule might let VALORANT teams take part. Riot Games has agreed to a one-year deal with the Esports World Cup Foundation and is being careful before deciding on a longer agreement. Yet, Riot and the teams involved have been criticized for supporting an event sponsored by the Saudi Arabian government, due to Saudi Arabia’s poor record on human rights. Previously, Riot ended a deal with the Saudi-supported NEOM project after people strongly objected.