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VCT (Valorant Champions Tour) LOCK//IN will be Valorant's first international event in 2023. It is also the biggest since the inception of VCT and will feature all thirty franchised teams plus two Chinese teams in the event. The tournament will see all these teams go head-to-head against each other in a single elimination bracket, meaning one loss would mean the end of that team's run in the tournament.
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VCT 2022 led to some of the most incredible moments in FPS (First Person Shooter) esports history. Last year, Asian teams stepped up and took down the top competition in a rather convincing fashion. 2022 was the year when Asia proved itself as a region to be taken seriously.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
For LOCK//IN 2023, the Pacific region has a plethora of formidable teams. However, a few selected ones from other regions also will keep all viewers hooked. Below is a list of the top 4 Pacific teams to look out for in the VCT LOCK//IN event.
Talon Esports and three other Asian teams to look for in VCT LOCK//IN Sao Paulo 2023
1) DRX
DRX is considered to be one of the strongest teams from the Asian region. They are known for their utility usage and perfect executions on the site. In VCT 2021, the team was able to dominate all the teams in Korea. They also qualified for two international events, VCT Stage 3: Masters Berlin and Valorant Champions 2021. Viewers expected the team to completely destroy the rest of these events, but the results were somewhat underwhelming.
In 2022, DRX could qualify for all international events, but similarly to last year, they finished in 5th-6th places in the first two events. This changed for the year's final event, Valorant Champions 2022, Istanbul. DRX outperformed the rest of the teams with their team plays and individual skills. They finished in 3rd place at this event.
For 2023, DRX has decided to stick with their old roster with a single addition of Foxy9 as the 6th man on the team. Their first match in LOCK//IN will be against the Turkish team, BBL Esports.
2) Paper Rex
Paper Rex is arguably one of the most popular teams in Valorant. Their chaotic, W-gaming playstyle is entertaining and pretty compelling during their matches. In 2021, they became an up-and-coming team in APAC (Asia Pacific) and even qualified for VCT Stage 3: Masters Berlin. However, they had a disappointing showing and got knocked out in the group stage itself.
2022 was different for Paper Rex. They could qualify for all international events, and their performance as a team became a lot better. They finished in 4th place in Reykjavik and 2nd in Copenhagen. Unfortunately, for Valorant Champions 2022 in Istanbul, they were knocked out pretty early.
For 2023, Paper Rex has decided to keep their old roster with only one addition of CigaretteS as their 6th man. Their first match will be against NA's Cloud9 in LOCK//IN.
3) ZETA DIVISION
ZETA DIVISION is currently the top team in Japan. In 2021, they qualified for a single international event, VCT Stage 3: Masters Berlin, wherein they had a disappointing run and finished in 13th-16th place. During this time, Japan started to be written off as one of the weakest regions in the VCT, but that all changed later.
In 2022, ZETA DIVISION was able to qualify for two international events: VCT Stage 1: Masters Reykjavik and Valorant Champions, Istanbul. In Reykjavik, ZETA DIVISION shut down all the critics as they had one of the most incredible runs in Valorant history and were able to finish 3rd place, proving that Japan was a World Championship contender. The team truly stepped up their game and improved with each match.
For 2023, ZETA DIVISION has decided to keep its old roster. Their first match will be against the Chilean team, Leviatan
4) Talon Esports
Talon Esports is the new kid in Valorant, at least when it comes to the org. Most of Talon's roster comprises players from X10 Esports, which then later went to XERXIA Esports. The roster was able to create a lot of waves in 2021 as they qualified for two international events and were able to beat some formidable teams like Envy and Keyd Stars.
In VCT 2022, the roster couldn't perform according to their potential and had a primarily underwhelming year. Talon Esports will seemingly consist of Crws, Sushiboys, foxz, JitBoyS, garnetS, and Patiphan, who has returned from retirement. Talon Esports' first match will be against Brazil's MIBR at LOCK//IN.
Pacific teams are looking like a force to be reckoned with in 2023. No Asian team has ever lifted a trophy at an international event in Valorant before. 2023 could very well be the year that changes.
