Riot Games’ VALORANT esports circuit has unveiled a new in-game item capsule that will provide VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) partner teams with additional revenue.
The VCT LOCK//IN capsule contains a variety of cosmetic items allowing fans to support regions and teams taking part in the first event of the 2023 season.
50% of net proceeds from capsules purchased between February 8th and March 7th will be shared among all VCT partner teams competing in the Americas, Pacific and EMEA regions.
The LOCK//IN tournament will see 32 teams heading to São Paulo for a chance to win a share of $500,000 (~£406,220) in prize money and the chance to earn another regional slot for the VCT Masters event.
In January, Riot Games expanded the number of LOCK//IN participants to 32 by inviting two Chinese organisations to the event. Edward Gaming (EDG) and FunPlus Phoenix (FPX) join VCT’s 30 partner teams at the season-opening event starting on February 13th.
The inclusion of Chinese teams follows Riot Games’ plans to launch VALORANT in the country in addition to FPX rebranding its roster to ZHUQUE.
The VCT is no stranger to generating revenue for its partner teams through in-game items. Ahead of the 2022 VCT Champions event, a limited-edition bundle generated over $16m (~£12.9m) in revenue split between the qualifying teams.
Following the LOCK//IN tournament, the VCT will head to Japan for the first time for VCT Masters Tokyo taking place in June.
