VALORANT Game Changers is struggling and Riot Games is the one that needs to save it

Riot Games announced VALORANT Game Changers in 2021 to give marginalized genders a space to showcase their skills and compete at a global level.This annual league provided a space to thrive and feel safe, something no other title had fully achieved, which, in itself, was a massive statement.

So far, four Game Changers world champions have been crowned; however, the magic that fans and players felt a few years ago seems to have faded.

Viewership has dropped, major organizations have walked away, the marketing push has slowed down, and toxicity continues to prevail, making us question: Is this just an expensive marketing stunt, or does Riot actually care about Game Changers?

From G2 Gozen singing “I Want It That Way” together and lifting the first Championship trophy in 2022 to Shopify Rebellion being crowned back-to-back winners in 2023 and 2024, and Natália “daiki” Vilela finally leading Team Liquid Brazil to a Champions title with a heroic performance in 2025, VALORANT Game Changers has given us countless memorable moments.

It was a breath of fresh air in VALORANT esports, with Game Changers Championship 2024 hitting a record viewership of over 450k peak viewers. However, the hype slowly started to dip as there weren’t enough promotions for the different leagues.

It reached a point where some of my friends, who closely followed the scene, had no idea what was going on with Game Changers. Viewership took a hit as well, as evidenced by the 2025 Championship recording a peak viewership of around 220k, the lowest of any previous edition.

Moreover, even though the prize pools looked healthy on paper, they were barely enough to sustainably support teams. 

While some may argue that a portion of the funds from VCT partnership/franchise system revenues could be allocated to the Game Changers ecosystem, it’s well known that organizations often struggle to generate enough profits, if any at all.

This has led to multiple tier-one organizations leaving the scene, with the most recent being 100 Thieves, following exits from Cloud9 and YFP.

“Breaks my heart to see something that I poured so much time and effort into being broken down like this,” 100 Thieves’ GC player Lydia “lidyuh” Wilson told Esports Insider.

I remember speaking with Game Changers EMEA Product Lead Ashley Washington in 2024, and the discussion reflected Riot Games’ passion and vision for Game Changers. The publisher has repeatedly stated that they don’t want to introduce a partnership system for GC, as the goal is to provide marginalized genders with a pathway into VCT.

However, multiple factors stand in the way of achieving this vision. First and foremost, there needs to be stronger incentives to encourage organizations to invest in scouting and developing new talent. And don’t even get me started on the issue of toxicity, something Game Changers players constantly face.

For instance, Ava ‘florescent’ Eugene made history by joining Apeks in VCT EMEA; however, she not only had to deal with burnout due to competitive pressure and scrutiny, but also, while competing on stage, she faced occasional sexist remarks in chat.

Moreover, even after her name was cleared of sexual assault allegations, she continues to face harassment from unemployed people who can safely just bark from behind their keyboards. There are countless other examples, but I won’t dive into them all in this piece.

Last but not least, several Game Changers players are fully capable of competing alongside male players in VCT. However, some don’t even get the opportunity to trial because certain players or staff are uncomfortable playing with them. Imagine! It’s 2026, and this is still one of the issues faced by talented players like Melanie ‘meL’ Capone.

“I’ve been denied opportunities to trial for co-ed VALORANT teams with a handful of talented co-ed rosters over the years for reasons that include teams not wanting to pay a buyout for me and because I was viewed as, and I quote, ‘too valuable of an asset to release this close to partnership selection when I’m so pivotal to my org’s application,’” said meL.

“There was at least one situation where I was being considered, but it was soon communicated back to me from a T1 team that a player was not comfortable playing with a woman.”

In short, the same people who publicly advocate for marginalized genders aren’t always the same behind the scenes.

So, what can be done to preserve and grow VALORANT Game Changers?

Riot Games is already doing a much better job than most titles, but there’s still room for improvement across several areas. For instance, marketing spend could be increased. And if budget constraints exist due to economic or internal factors, there are always ways to execute strong organic marketing. I know I already have a few ideas in mind.

Additionally, the number of mixed-gender tournaments could be increased, with incentives for organizations that invest in Game Changers, similar to Academy or Affiliate team systems. Riot could even organize mixed tournaments that offer additional VCT circuit points, or introduce in-game items with revenue shared directly with GC teams.

Riot Games also announced Upward Player Mobility in 2024, which offered World Championship teams a direct invite to Challengers League qualifiers, and teams like Shopify Rebellion have already benefited from it.

So, progress is being made in that direction, and they recently announced that “a portion of the funds will be dedicated to Game Changers each year.” Making GC a part of the Esports World Cup, similar to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, could also be a great move. 

If Riot can strengthen the fundamentals while continuing to roll out new initiatives, Game Changers can truly thrive and take us closer to the ecosystem that breaks barriers between all genders and establishes VALORANT as a truly inclusive esport.