As the inaugural Valorant esports competition LOCK//IN kicks off its grand finals today, Riot Games has confirmed where the final tournament of the year will take place. Champions, the big event that every franchised Valorant esports team is fighting over a place for in 2023 will be held at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California.
It will be the very first Valorant major to be held on the continent, with everyone so far having been held in Europe. Tokyo will, of course, be the location for Masters before we get to Champions, but U.S fans will nonetheless be able to look forward to the most important tournament of the year being held on home soil.
The big question is whether a U.S.-based team will be competitive by the time we get there. It’s impossible to know at such an early stage, but from what we’ve seen so far it’s South American, European, and Asian teams that are looking strongest as of right now. If you haven’t already, check out Twinfinite’s LOCK//IN viewer’s guide, which features a full breakdown of all the results so far.
Elsewhere in related Valorant news, the game’s latest Agent also coincidentally comes from Los Angeles. He’s named Gekko, and he brings some Mexican-American flavor to Valorant’s roster along with a bunch of bizarre animals that serve as his unusual belt of utility. You can check out all the details here.
