Leviatán wins Masters London but misses Champions: Should VCT change its qualification rules?

In the world of Valorant esports, the story of Masters London champion Leviatán unexpectedly failing to qualify for Champions Shanghai is sparking intense debate. How can a team that just won the most prestigious mid-season international tournament not make it to the year-end world championship? The answer lies in the VCT Points system – a mechanism that prioritizes season-long consistency over momentary peaks. The VCT Points system, established by Riot Games, ensures teams must demonstrate performance throughout the year across Kickoff, Stage 1, Stage 2, and Masters. Cumulative points determine Champions slots per region. For Leviatán, the journey began with a shock: star player Bruno ‘Neon’ Rodríguez – who later won MVP at Masters London – could not play in Kickoff due to age restrictions. Without Neon, Leviatán lost a crucial offensive edge, leading to poor early results and very few points. Although they later dominated Masters London, defeating top global teams, the points accumulated from Kickoff and Stage 1 were insufficient to catch up. Meanwhile, regional rivals NRG and G2 Esports maintained remarkable consistency, earning points steadily through each stage. This pushed Leviatán out of Champions qualification despite being Masters champions. But the blame is not solely on the system. Former pro Sliggy – now a prominent analyst – pointed out that Leviatán also contributed to their downfall. In Stage 2, when they still had a chance to improve their points, they made self-inflicted mistakes: they banned their best map Split (where they held an 11-0 record) and deviated from their trusted Neon-Phoenix composition to experiment. This unnecessary gamble cost them crucial points. “They made it hard for themselves,” Sliggy noted. “When you are in a must-win situation, experimenting is very risky. Leviatán should have played safe to secure points, but they gambled on maps and compositions. As a result, they lost and threw away their chance.” However, the story raises a larger question about fairness. If a mid-season international champion cannot attend Champions, is something wrong? In traditional sports, mid-season tournament winners often receive a wildcard. VCT, however, rewards consistency, which can overshadow a team’s peak performance. Data analysis reveals that with only 15 accumulated VCT points, Leviatán likely ranked 5th or 6th in the Americas region – described as ‘extremely stacked’ with multiple strong teams. If they had competed in a weaker region like Asia-Pacific or China, those points might have been enough. This highlights the disparity in competition levels between regions, an issue Riot may need to address. A contrarian perspective: Should Leviatán be criticized? They played brilliantly to win Masters London, but the system punishes any slip-up across the season. This teaches teams to manage their entire campaign – they cannot just ‘peak’ at one event but must maintain form throughout. Yet from an entertainment perspective, the absence of the Masters champion at Champions reduces the tournament’s appeal, affecting viewership and sponsorship. In response, Riot Games may face pressure to change. Proposals include giving the Masters winner an automatic slot, adding bonus points for international success, or adjusting slot allocation by regional strength. Although no official move has been made, esports history shows similar controversies often lead to reform. For Leviatán, they still have next season. If they maintain their roster and learn from tactical mistakes, they can return stronger. But with Champions Shanghai approaching, fans will miss the team that once amazed the world. The lesson from this story extends beyond Leviatán. It reminds us that in esports, every decision has consequences. The system may not be perfect, but it should not be so rigid that it excludes the brightest stars. The final question: will Riot Games listen to the community to create a fairer, more exciting tournament, or continue with a format that leaves champions watching from home? Only time will tell.