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One of North America's most popular esports organizations, OpTic Gaming, has reportedly been refused a spot in the partnership program for the upcoming Valorant Champions Tour in 2023. A reputed journalist, Kevin Hitt, made the claims based on unrevealed sources.
OpTic Gaming secured the runners-up spot for the erstwhile Valorant Champions 2022, having faced defeat against LOUD, a Brazillian-Argentinian roster. Despite a loss at the grand final, OpTic Gaming has enjoyed immense popularity and success in VCT 2022. Their roster features some of the most talented individuals in Valorant esports, including yay, regarded by many as one of the best players in the world.
With these achievements, the possibility of OpTic not making it to the upcoming franchise league in early 2023 came as a blow to many fans.
OpTic Gaming may not be a part of the Valorant international leagues next year
It's presently unknown why OpTic Gaming may not have cleared the test to be one of the 10 American representatives for VCT 2023. A possible reason could be the presence of comparatively more influential organizations in the region.
Some notable teams that have reportedly made it to the franchise league from North America are Sentinels, NRG, 100 Thieves, and Cloud9. The fifth and final organization to make it as a franchisee from NA is currently unconfirmed.
Riot Games is yet to officially announce all the partnered teams chosen for the 2023 season. The company is expected to reveal all selected teams by the end of this week. Furthermore, information about the teams making it to the league available at the moment has not been confirmed by Riot yet.
OpTic Gaming's current roster may choose to disband after the final announcement and join organizations that are a part of Riot's partnership program. That said, there's still a chance for the organization to make it as the fifth addition from North America.
Another reputed NA organization, TSM, reportedly has a low chance of claiming a spot in the league as well. The popular esports organization has been subjected to unfortunate controversies, which is a possible reason behind the unlikeliness. Also, the roster hasn't achieved satisfactory results in VCT 2021 and 2022.
The upcoming VCT 2023 will kick off with an introductory tournament pitting 30 partnered teams against one another in an epic three-week competition. This off-season tournament will be followed by an international league Split, and then by the Masters 2023, where top teams from each league will battle for a direct entry to Champions 2023.
Alongside the partnership leagues, the usual Challengers Split as well as the new Ascension tournaments will also take place, letting teams from all regions, regardless of their experience, participate in official Valorant esports challenges.
