VCT Rule Debate: Masters London champion Leviatán miss Champions Shanghai – Should the system change?

One would think that winning the Masters London trophy would be a guaranteed ticket to Champions Shanghai. But Leviatán, the Valorant mid-season tournament champion, had to watch from home as other teams competed. This story is shaking the global esports community, raising the question: Does the VCT points system truly reward the teams that peak at the most critical moments? The VCT Points system was designed by Riot Games to reward consistency throughout the season. Each team accumulates points across Kickoff, Stage 1, Stage 2, and Masters. The highest-point teams from each region earn berths to Champions. The problem is: winning Masters does not grant an automatic spot. Leviatán dominated Masters London, but struggled in early stages, especially Kickoff, when they missed star rookie Neon due to age restrictions. Consequently, they ended up with only 15 points, not enough to compete against teams like NRG or G2 Esports in the notoriously competitive Americas region. However, blaming the system entirely might be one-sided. Former pro player Sliggy pointed out that Leviatán made things harder for themselves by self-banning their best map (Split – 11-0 record) and deviating from their trusted composition in Stage 2. They seemed to experiment deliberately, underestimating the risk of elimination. This was a serious tactical error, because in a region as fiercely contested as Americas, one weak week can wreck an entire season. The debate now fuels opposing opinions. One side argues that a major tournament champion must have an automatic spot in Champions, as it represents peak form and tournament prestige. The other insists that a points-based system is fair, encouraging teams to perform well from start to finish and preventing 'one-hit wonders'. Should Riot add a special berth for Masters winners, as some other leagues do? Or stick rigidly to the current rules to preserve seasonal integrity? The lesson from this story is profound: in esports, no victory is permanent, and a single major title does not guarantee the future. Leviatán remains a strong team, but they paid the price for complacency and poor decisions at key moments. If Riot wants to maintain excitement, they must balance rewarding champions with requiring consistency. As for the teams, this is a reminder: fight every match, because a moment of carelessness can cost you a whole season.