After what feels like ages, the Valorant Champions Tour is finally kicking off in Brazil, with VCT LOCK//IN marking the beginning of a new chapter for Riot Game’s tac FPS juggernaut. 32 of the best teams in the world are competing, but only one can claim the crown. For all newcomers and veterans: here’s the ultimate guide featuring everything you need to know about LOCK IN, including the VCT LOCK IN schedule, groups, and results.
LOCK//IN Winner
Fnatic take the win over hometown heroes and VCT Champions, LOUD, in dramatic fashion 3-2. Two notable Fnatic storylines that come from this dramatic win:
- Fnatic’s Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov becomes the first two-time champion in VCT history.
- This is Fnatic’s first Grand Finals appearance since 2021 when they fell 3-0 to Sentinels. Players, Jake “Boaster” Howlett and Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev are the only two members left, aside from head coach Jacob “mini” Harris, who all finally claim a trophy.
- This win also gives EMEA an extra slot for Masters Japan this June.
Congratulations to Fnatic on the team’s exceptional showing and to all of the participating teams for bringing their best! You can check out the final standings below, as well as the map count from the Grand Final.
What is Valorant LOCK//IN?
VCT LOCK//IN is the inaugural tournament of the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour, but its meaning is much greater than the start of the competitive calendar year. 2023 is the first year of franchised Valorant esports, with Riot Games selecting thirty teams from around the world to enter this formalized league.
LOCK IN will feature all thirty of those teams and two invited teams from China, to compete in a grueling single-elimination format over the course of three weeks, starting Feb. 13 until March 4. The competition will take place in São Paulo, Brazil, and will feature plenty of familiar and new faces as teams settle in to showcase how the offseason treated them.
What Is the Prize Pool for LOCK//IN?
The prize pool for VCT LOCK//IN is a $500,000 split between all thirty-two teams depending on their placements. The prize pool distribution is as follows:
- 1st: $100,000
- Fnatic
- 2nd: $60,000
- LOUD
- 3rd – 4th: $40,000
- DRX
- NaVi
- 5th – 8th: $25,000
- NRG
- Talon Esports
- Leviatán
- 100 Thieves
- 9th – 16th: $10,000
- Giants
- Karmine Corp
- Cloud9
- Evil Geniuses
- Team Secret
- Team Vitality
- FUT Esports
- FURIA Esports
- 17th – 32nd: $5,000
- KOI
- DetonatioN FocusMe
- FunPlus Phoenix
- BBL Esports
- Paper Rex
- Team Heretics
- MIBR
- Gen. G Esports
- Team Liquid
- KRÜ Esports
- ZETA DIVISION
- Global Esports
- Rex Regum Qeon
- Edward Gaming
- Sentinels
- T1
One thing to note is that with the release of the VCT LOCK//IN in-game bundle, 50% of the purchases will go to participating teams. The bundle itself is in the shop until March 7, 2022, so be sure to check out our guide on how to nab it to support your favorite teams.
VCT LOCK IN Schedule: Matches, Groups, Results
VCT LOCK//IN is the biggest event Valorant esports and Riot Games have organized to date. All thirty-two teams will compete in a single-elimination format over the course of three weeks, with only one claiming the crown. Below, you’ll find the format for Alpha and Omega Group including relevant times, dates and match results. Days listed as “Dark Days” means no matches are played that day.
Week One: Alpha Group Feb. 13 – Feb. 19
Round 1 matchups starting Feb. 13
- KOI vs. NRG (0-2 NRG)
- DetonatioN FM vs. Giants (0-2 Giants)
- Gen G vs. LOUD (Delayed until Feb. 15 due to illness) (0-2 LOUD)
- FunPlus Phoenix vs. Karmine Corp (1-2 Karmine Corp)
- BBL Esports vs. DRX (1-2 DRX)
- Cloud9 vs. Paper Rex (2-0 Cloud9)
- Team Heretics vs. Evil Geniuses (0-2 Evil Geniuses)
- MIBR vs. Talon Esports (0-2 Talon Esports)
Round 2 matchups begin Feb. 17
- NRG vs. Giants (2-1 Giants)
- LOUD vs. Karmine Corp (2-0 LOUD)
- DRX vs. Cloud9 (2-1 DRX)
- Evil Geniuses vs. Talon Esports (0-2 Talon Esports)
Round 3 matchups begin Feb. 19
- NRG vs. LOUD (1-2 LOUD)
- DRX vs. Talon Esports (2-1 DRX)
Week Two: Omega Group Bracket Feb. 22 – Feb 27
Round 1 matchups begin Feb. 22
- Team Liquid vs. Team Secret (0-2 Team Secret)
- NAVI vs. KRÜ Esports (2-0 NAVI)
- ZETA DIVISION vs. Leviatán (0-2 Leviatán)
- Team Vitality vs. Global Esports (2-0 Team Vitality)
- FUT Esports vs. Rex Regum Qeon (2-0 FUT Esports)
- 100 Thieves vs. Edward Gaming (2-1 100 Thieves)
- Sentinels vs. Fnatic (0-2 Fnatic)
- T1 vs. FURIA Esports (0-2 FURIA Esports)
Round 2 matchups begin Feb. 25
- Team Secret vs. NAVI (0-2 NAVI)
- Leviatán vs. Team Vitality (2-0 Leviatán)
- FUT Esports vs. 100 Thieves (1-2 100 Thieves)
- Fnatic vs. FURIA Esports (2-0 Fnatic)
Round 3 matchups begin Feb. 27
- Leviatán vs. NAVI (0-2 NAVI)
- 100 Thieves vs. Fnatic (0-2 Fnatic)
Alpha and Omega Bracket Semifinals
- March 2, DRX vs. LOUD (2-3 LOUD)
- March 3, NaVi vs. Fnatic (0-3 Fnatic)
LOCK//IN Grand Finals, March 4, 9 AM PT
- LOUD vs. Fnatic (2-3 Fnatic)
- Ascent: 8-13 Fnatic
- Fracture: 7-13 Fnatic
- Split: 13-9 LOUD
- Lotus: 13-8 Lotus
- Icebox: 12-14 Fnatic
- Match MVP: Leo “Leo” Jannesson
New Agent Reveal
Also, be sure to tune in for the new agent reveal during the show match before the Grand Finals start, at 9 AM PT on March 4. Team captains, Tarik and FRTTT will be playing the new agent!
Showmatch result: 10-13 Team FRTTT
How to Watch VCT LOCK IN
The primary space to watch VCT LOCK//IN will be the official media channels for Valorant, such as the Twitch and YouTube platforms. Much like previous Valorant events, there will be official co-streams running featuring some of the biggest names in the Valorant scene.
If interested in any of the co-streams, check out their official streaming platforms, during the time they stream! Viewers will also gain access to in-game rewards called “Drops” as long as their Twitch and Riot Games accounts are linked.
Are There LOCK//IN Twitch Drops?
As mentioned, there are Twitch Drops for LOCK//IN. We have a full guide explaining how to link your accounts, as for rewards, below is what viewers will earn:
- “Locked In” Title: To earn the “Locked In” title, watch a live game between Feb 13 – Mar 4
- Dad Hat Buddy: Watch a live game during the Grand Finals on March 4.
Who Will Win VCT LOCK//IN?
Rounding out the ultimate LOCK//IN viewer guide, it’s our “pick ’ems.” Speaking to our panel of Valorant experts, we’ve rounded up our top five teams you should watch, as these teams have the greatest chance of making Brazil theirs.
Senior Editor Alex Gibson’s Picks:
- NaVi (Lost to Fnatic in Omega Bracket semifinals)
- Liquid (Lost to Team Secret in Omega Bracket Round of 32)
- LOUD (Runner-up LOCK//IN)
- 100 Thieves (Lost to Fnatic in Omega Bracket Quarterfinals)
- Fnatic (Winner of LOCK//IN)
Contributing Writer John Esposito’s Picks:
- 100 Thieves (Lost to Fnatic in Omega Bracket Quarterfinals)
- Cloud9 (Lost to DRX in Alpha Bracket Round of 16)
- Fnatic (Winner of LOCK//IN)
- LOUD (Runner-up of LOCK//IN)
- Leviatán (Lost to NAVI in Omega Bracket Quarterfinals)
With that, that’s everything you need to know about VCT LOCK//IN, Valorant’s biggest tournament to date. For more Valorant news, check out our related section below.
