Riot Games officially added Kick to its global esports broadcast network. Starting with MSI 2026, League of Legends, VALORANT, and TFT competitions will stream live on Kick alongside Twitch and YouTube.

Riot Games announced on June 26, 2026 that Kick is joining its global roster of official esports broadcast platforms. The partnership kicks off with the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2026, which begins on June 28 in Daejeon, South Korea. Under the agreement, Kick will carry live broadcasts for global and regional events across LoL Esports, VALORANT, and Teamfight Tactics (TFT). China and Korea are excluded from the deal due to existing regional broadcast arrangements.

What Does the Riot-Kick Deal Include?

Kick joins Twitch and YouTube as a non-exclusive official streaming destination for Riot’s esports ecosystem. The deal covers both global tournaments and regional league broadcasts for all three titles. Official Riot streams on Twitch and YouTube will continue unchanged. Kick is an addition to the broadcast network, not a replacement.

According to Riot’s official announcement, the partnership also opens up creator opportunities. Kick streamers will become eligible for Riot’s expanding partner and creator programs across League of Legends, VALORANT, TFT, and Wild Rift. This is notable because Riot restructured its creator programs in 2026, with open applications scheduled for VALORANT (August 3), League of Legends (September 1), and TFT (October 1). Kick creators will be able to apply through these same windows.

Do Drops Work on Kick?

Yes. Riot confirmed that the viewing experience on Kick will include the same drops and in-game incentives available on other platforms during global event broadcasts. Players who link their Riot account to Kick can earn rewards just as they would watching on Twitch or YouTube. There is no difference in the reward system between platforms.

Why Kick, and Why Now?

Kick has grown rapidly since its December 2022 launch. The platform reached 100 million registered users by April 10, 2026. In Q1 2026, Kick recorded 1.27 billion hours watched, a 65.35% increase year-over-year, according to Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet data. March 2026 alone exceeded 500 million hours watched, the platform’s strongest month since October 2025.

Riot specifically highlighted Kick’s strength in Latin America, MENA, and Europe as a key driver behind the partnership. These regions represent growing esports audiences that Riot wants to reach more effectively. League of Legends viewership on Kick was already up 17% in March 2026 before the official partnership was even announced, suggesting organic demand that Riot is now formalising.

With Kick now accounting for roughly 14.4% of total hours watched across all major streaming platforms in Q1 2026, the platform has moved well beyond niche status. Twitch remains the dominant force with approximately 240 million monthly active users, but Kick’s trajectory has made it impossible for major publishers to ignore.

MSI 2026: The First Event on Kick

The League of Legends MSI 2026 runs from June 28 through July 12 in Daejeon, South Korea. The Play-In stage starts the tournament, building through to the Grand Final. Fans can watch for free across Twitch, YouTube, Kick, and TikTok, with official broadcasts in English, Korean, French, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish, and Chinese depending on the platform.

For MSI 2026, Kick’s confirmed official broadcast is in English. The tournament also features the largest co-streaming roster in MSI history, with more than 100 co-streamers participating through the Co-Streamer Hub powered by Opera GX. This gives fans the option to watch through their favourite creators rather than only the official broadcast channels.

Moderation Standards on Kick

Riot Games stated clearly that the same moderation practices and behavioural standards applied to creators on Twitch and YouTube will be enforced on Kick. Streamers broadcasting Riot esports content on Kick must comply with the same rules. The goal is to maintain a safe and positive viewing experience regardless of platform choice.

This point matters in context. Kick was founded by Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, who also co-founded the online gambling platform Stake. The connection has drawn scrutiny in esports circles. Riot relaxed some betting sponsorship rules in 2025 but still prohibits gambling advertising in its esports broadcasts. The company’s emphasis on uniform moderation standards signals that existing content policies will remain intact despite the new platform partnership.

What This Means for the Streaming Landscape

Riot Games is one of the most significant esports publishers globally, with League of Legends and VALORANT consistently among the most-watched competitive titles. Adding Kick to the broadcast network represents a meaningful endorsement for the younger platform. For context, Kick grew 131% year-over-year in total hours watched during 2025, reaching 4.5 billion hours for the full year.

The non-exclusive nature of the deal is important. Riot is not leaving Twitch or YouTube. Instead, it is expanding viewer choice. This mirrors a broader industry trend where publishers distribute content across multiple platforms rather than signing exclusive deals with a single service. The Korean and Chinese exclusions reflect the reality of separate regional broadcasting ecosystems with their own established partners.

The Details Players Usually Ask About

Is watching on Kick free?

Yes. All official Riot esports broadcasts on Kick are completely free to watch. No subscription or payment is required.

How do I get drops on Kick?

Link your Riot account to Kick. Once connected, watching official tournament broadcasts will automatically make you eligible for the same in-game rewards available on Twitch and YouTube. The drop system works identically across all platforms.

Which games are covered by this partnership?

League of Legends Esports, VALORANT Champions Tour, and Teamfight Tactics competitions will be broadcast live on Kick. The creator program integration also extends to Wild Rift. China and Korea are excluded from the broadcast agreement.

Will Twitch and YouTube streams continue?

Absolutely. This is a non-exclusive partnership. Twitch and YouTube remain official Riot broadcast platforms. Kick is simply a new addition to the roster, giving viewers another option for where they watch.

Can Kick streamers co-stream Riot events?

Yes. Kick streamers will have access to co-streaming opportunities for Riot esports events. They will also be eligible to join Riot’s partner and creator programs, which are opening applications throughout mid-to-late 2026.

Riot Games is overhauling the VALORANT Champions Tour for 2027. League play is out, open qualifiers and LAN-based Cups are in, and every team in the world now has a direct route to Masters and Champions.

Riot Games is dismantling the VALORANT Champions Tour league structure and replacing it with a fully tournament-driven system starting in 2027. Stage 1 and Stage 2 league play are gone. In their place, VCT Cups, open qualifiers for every major event, and a single unified tier of competition will define the new era. The tagline is blunt: “Everything is a tournament.”

Why Is the League Format Being Removed?

Under the current model, ten partner teams per region play weekly league matches across two stages, while non-partnered teams are restricted to a single Ascension pathway that takes an entire year to complete. The result has been a competitive ceiling that kept rising talent locked out and reduced the stakes of regular-season matches for established organisations. VCT 2027 addresses this by removing the league layer entirely and funnelling all competition through high-stakes brackets where results immediately determine progression.

Leo Faria, Global Head of VALORANT Esports, framed the shift clearly: “By shifting to a tournament-driven system with open access to our biggest events, we’re creating a more dynamic, high-stakes ecosystem where every match matters and every team has a shot at the global stage.” The 2027 season will span over 20 tournaments across more than 16 cities worldwide.

How Does the 2027 Season Structure Work?

The competitive year runs in three cycles, each starting with open qualifiers and ending at a global event:

• Cycle 1: Open Qualifiers (online) → Kickoff (LAN) → Masters 1
• Cycle 2: Open Qualifiers (online) → Cup 1 (LAN) → Masters 2
• Cycle 3: Open Qualifiers (online) → Cup 2 (LAN) → Champions

Kickoff qualifiers begin in Q4 of the prior year, meaning teams targeting the 2027 season will start competing in late 2026. Open qualifiers for each cycle run concurrently with Cups and Masters, giving teams that miss one window multiple additional chances to qualify throughout the year.

What Are VCT Cups and How Do They Replace Leagues?

VCT Cups are LAN-based bracket tournaments held twice per territory per year, eight in total across Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China. They replace the old regular-season league play, conclude with a live finals weekend in front of fans, and directly qualify teams for Masters and Champions.

The format is deliberately compact. Where the old league system stretched matches over several weeks with limited elimination pressure, Cups are designed as short, intense events where every round carries real consequences. Riot describes them as “punchy, LAN-based events that determine the top teams in each territory.”

What Changes for Partner Teams?

Partner teams still exist, but their privileges are significantly reduced. Each of the four VCT territories will feature eight partner teams, down from ten, bringing the global total to 32 organisations. The partnership cycle itself shortens from four years to two, with applications for the 2027 cycle already open.

The only guaranteed entry partner teams receive is into the season-opening Kickoff. Each Kickoff will feature 12 teams: eight partners and four from open qualifiers, with the top three from each territory qualifying for Masters. After Kickoff, every subsequent event requires qualification through performance.

Partner teams that fail to place highly at a Cup or Masters drop into Open Playoffs. Those that perform poorly there restart from the beginning of the next Open Qualifiers, competing alongside every other team in the bracket. This creates a continuous promotion-and-relegation dynamic that was absent from the closed league system.

How Much Financial Support Do Non-Partner Teams Get?

One of the most significant additions is a structured financial safety net for open teams. Riot is introducing fixed qualification payouts independent of prize pools:

These payments stack with prize pool earnings, travel support, and additional ecosystem incentives. The annual prize pool will exceed $6 million. Non-partner teams qualifying for the Game Changers Championship also receive an additional $100,000 incentive. The aim is to make deep competitive runs financially viable even without partnership backing.

14 Sub-Regions Replace the Old Territorial Map

VCT 2027 expands the competitive map from four broad territories into 14 distinct sub-regions, each with its own open qualifier pathway. The breakdown is as follows:

• VCT Americas: North America, LATAM North, LATAM South, Brazil
• VCT EMEA: Europe, Türkiye, MENA
• VCT Pacific: South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Wild Card (Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, rest of SEA)
• VCT CN: China (operating its own structure with visitor teams)

This sub-regional division means teams qualify from their home region rather than competing in a single massive EMEA or Americas pool. VCT Pacific also includes a Last Chance Qualifier for South Asia and Oceania teams to fight for Cup and Kickoff spots.

Roster Continuity: The Three-Player Rule

Open and creator-led teams can accumulate points and competitive progress across the season, but only if they maintain roster stability. The rule is straightforward: a team that keeps at least three of its five starting players retains its season progress and points. Drop below that threshold, and the team resets.

This requirement discourages single-tournament roster swaps and rewards organisations that invest in long-term player development. It also prevents teams from gaming the system by constantly reshuffling rosters to exploit bracket advantages.

How Does VCT China Differ?

VCT CN operates under a slightly modified structure. Kickoff will feature 12 teams composed of eight partners, two visitor teams, and two open qualifier teams. Both partner and visitor teams receive direct entry into Kickoff and the first two Cups. The visitor team model, unique to China, preserves a built-in promotion and relegation pathway that predates the global format change.

Is This the End of Closed Esports Leagues?

The VCT 2027 overhaul represents a clear philosophical shift: Riot is moving from a model where partnership status largely determined competitive access to one where on-server results drive progression. Non-partner teams no longer need to survive an entire Ascension season for a single promotion slot. Instead, they can enter multiple qualification windows throughout the year and potentially reach Masters or Champions within a single cycle.

The real test begins when the first open qualifiers launch in late 2026. Whether the infrastructure can handle thousands of teams across 14 sub-regions, whether Cup production quality matches league standards, and whether open-team funding is enough to sustain professional rosters will determine if VCT 2027 delivers on its promises. What is already clear is that guaranteed seats are over; in 2027, every team earns its place or loses it.

Riot Games has introduced an optional on-demand mode for its Vanguard anti-cheat. The kernel-level driver no longer loads at system start for players who meet the Pre-Check security requirements on Windows 11 25H2.

Riot Games rolled out on-demand mode for its Vanguard anti-cheat on 24 June 2026, ending the always-on boot behaviour the kernel driver has maintained since its launch in 2020. Players running VALORANT or League of Legends on a sufficiently secured Windows 11 PC can now have Vanguard load only when a Riot title launches and shut down the moment gameplay ends. According to Riot’s anti-cheat lead Phillip Koskinas, roughly 35 per cent of all players already meet the hardware requirements and can switch immediately after updating.

Why Vanguard Ran at System Start Until Now

Vanguard’s kernel-mode driver, vgk.sys, loaded the moment Windows booted. The reason was what Koskinas calls the “Who Loads First?” problem. If the anti-cheat only started with the game, a cheater could load a vulnerable driver before it, gain kernel access, and hide from anything that loaded afterwards. By starting at boot, Vanguard maintained a continuous chain of trust, blocking known vulnerable drivers and confirming that kernel space had not been compromised before the game launched.

This design was effective but deeply unpopular. Unlike most competing anti-cheat solutions that only run while a game is active, Vanguard stayed in the system tray at all times. Privacy concerns, performance questions, and the principle of a game’s security software running 24/7 made it one of the most debated topics in competitive gaming since 2020.

How On-Demand Mode Works

With on-demand mode enabled, Vanguard’s driver component does not launch when Windows starts. It loads only when a Riot game opens and unloads on exit. This is made possible by a feature Microsoft developed in collaboration with its Xbox OS Security team: the Runtime Driver Attestation Report, introduced in Windows 11 25H2. This service measures every on-demand driver into the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) as an append-only hash since boot, similar to how the Windows Boot Manager already handles boot-start drivers. When Vanguard starts with the game, it reads this attestation report to confirm no vulnerable driver slipped in while it was inactive.

Because the hash can only be extended and never modified without breaking the chain of trust, cheaters cannot retroactively hide driver activity. This effectively closes the gap that forced the always-on design in the first place.

Vanguard Pre-Check Requirements

On-demand mode is gated behind a set of hardware and software security features Riot calls “Vanguard Pre-Check.” All of the following must be enabled:

Most of these are UEFI-level settings that Vanguard cannot change on your behalf. They must be enabled manually through BIOS. Newer PCs often ship with these features turned on by default, which is why a significant chunk of the player base already qualifies.

How to Check if Your PC Is Eligible

After updating, Vanguard’s system tray application displays a new Pre-Check panel. It lists every requirement and shows which ones your system already satisfies. Clicking any unmet requirement redirects you to the relevant support documentation.

For a quick manual check on the two most common requirements:

• Press Win + R, type tpm.msc, and press Enter. The specification version should read 2.0.
• Press Win + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter. Look for Secure Boot State: On and BIOS Mode: UEFI.

If either setting is off, it usually means the feature is disabled in firmware rather than missing from your hardware.

Enabling TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot in BIOS

The exact menu layout varies by motherboard manufacturer, but the general steps are consistent:

1. Shut down completely and restart. Press Delete, F2, or F10 during the splash screen to enter BIOS/UEFI setup.
2. Intel platforms: Navigate to Advanced or Security. Find “Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT)” and set it to Enabled.
3. AMD platforms: Navigate to Advanced, CPU Configuration, or Trusted Computing. Enable “fTPM” or “Security Device Support.”
4. For Secure Boot, go to the Boot or Security tab and enable “Secure Boot.” If CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is active, disable it first, as Secure Boot requires UEFI boot mode.
5. Save changes and exit.

Koskinas notes in Riot’s official post that navigating BIOS “can be kinda tricky, ranging anywhere from intimidating to incomprehensible.” Always consult your motherboard manufacturer’s documentation before making changes.

Is On-Demand Mode Mandatory?

No. Riot has been emphatic about this point. On-demand mode is entirely optional. Players who take no action will continue running Vanguard exactly as before, with the driver starting at boot. The pre-existing behaviour remains the default. On-demand is an opt-in incentive for those who want the anti-cheat to be less persistent.

How Many Players Can Use It Right Now?

Riot’s data shows roughly 35 per cent of players already satisfy all Pre-Check requirements. These players see the on-demand toggle after their next update. The majority of remaining players have supported hardware but need to enable certain UEFI settings manually. Only about 3 per cent of the player base is on hardware that cannot support one or more requirements at all. For those players, Vanguard continues to operate in its traditional always-on mode.

The secured-player percentage is growing by approximately 1 to 2 percentage points per month as hardware ages out and newer machines enter the ecosystem.

What About Anti-Cheat Effectiveness?

Riot’s published statistics indicate that cheaters infect about 0.7 per cent of all PC ranked matches across VALORANT and League of Legends. The dominant cheat vectors are kernel-level exploits, DMA hardware, and pixel-based aimbots. Cheaters deliberately disable the same security features Pre-Check requires: Secure Boot, TPM, VBS, and IOMMU. By making these features the gateway to on-demand mode, Riot creates a trust-segmentation layer where secured players are separated from less secure environments.

Koskinas revealed that the TPM’s Endorsement Key is physically burned into hardware at the factory. If Riot bans that key, replacing it on firmware-based TPMs (fTPM) requires replacing the CPU itself, making hardware bans far more punishing for repeat offenders.

Does This Change Anything About Kernel-Level Access?

No. On-demand mode changes when the driver runs, not how it runs. While active, Vanguard still operates at kernel level (Ring 0). It still requires a system reboot after initial installation, and it still performs the same integrity checks on game memory. The fundamental architecture is unchanged; only the idle-state persistence is removed for eligible players.

Linux and Mac Support

On-demand mode does not extend Vanguard to new platforms. VALORANT remains unsupported on Linux and macOS. League of Legends can technically run on Linux through community tools, but Vanguard blocks that path. This update is strictly a Windows 11 feature.

What Players Usually Want to Know

Will on-demand mode hurt my FPS or cause performance issues?

Enabling VBS and HVCI can have a small performance overhead on some systems, as these features use hardware virtualisation. However, most modern PCs shipped after 2022 already have them enabled by default with negligible impact. Riot does not claim any performance difference from on-demand mode itself.

Can I switch back to always-on mode after enabling on-demand?

Yes. The toggle works both ways. If you prefer Vanguard to keep running at boot, you can revert at any time through the system tray application.

Does this work on Windows 10?

No. The Runtime Driver Attestation Report exists only in Windows 11 25H2 and later. Riot’s data also shows that older Windows versions have significantly higher cheat rates due to missing security APIs and known kernel exploits.

What if my hardware does not support TPM 2.0?

If your CPU lacks firmware TPM support and you do not have a discrete TPM 2.0 module, you cannot meet the Pre-Check requirements. Vanguard will continue operating in its traditional always-on mode. No action is needed, and your gameplay is not affected.

VALORANT’s 13th standard map Summit arrives on June 24 with Season 2026 Act 4. Set in a Radiant training academy in the mountains of China, Summit introduces three permanently droppable walls that reshape rounds mid-fight, a smaller footprint favouring close-range skirmishes, and a direct lore connection to Sage.

VALORANT’s 13th standard map, Summit, launches on June 24, 2026, alongside the Season 2026 Act 4 update (Patch 13.00). Riot Games unveiled the map during a creator showmatch just before the VCT Masters London grand final on June 21. Summit is set in a Radiant training academy high in the mountains of China and introduces three permanently droppable walls that can fundamentally alter how a round plays out, making it the most mechanically ambitious map addition since Corrode.

Where Is Summit Set and What’s the Lore?

Summit is located in a mountain valley inspired by Zhangjiajie, China. The setting is a world-renowned Radiant training academy built to help Radiants from around the globe understand and refine their abilities, with state-of-the-art facilities designed to handle Radiant powers. In VALORANT’s lore, this is the former site of the monastery where Sage studied before joining the VALORANT Protocol. The cinematic trailer centres on Sage’s return to her origins, tying into the ongoing storyline about her progressive crystallisation as she heals teammates.

Visually, the map blends traditional East Asian architecture with VALORANT’s signature brutalist, industrial design language. Training halls, meditation gardens, and dramatic mountain vistas create one of the most visually striking arenas in the game’s roster.

How Do the Droppable Walls Work?

Summit’s defining feature is three massive walls positioned on A site, B site, and Mid. Each wall is activated by shooting a nearby switch panel with 125 HP. Weapons, utility abilities like Sova’s Shock Bolt, Raze’s Showstopper, and even Tejo’s rockets can all destroy the panel. Once the panel breaks, the wall drops permanently for the rest of the round.

This is not a Lotus-style door that can be toggled. Game Designer Diego Varona told PCGamesN: “You can’t shoot the wall down, you can’t raise it back up. The map is technically changed until the end of the round.” Players caught beneath a falling wall are killed instantly, adding a lethal layer to the timing decisions. A small gap remains at the top of each wall, potentially allowing Sage walls or similar vertical utility to peek over, but the passage itself is completely sealed.

Map Layout: Two Sites, Three Lanes, Compact Design

Summit follows the familiar two-spike-site, three-lane formula, but its footprint is deliberately smaller than recent additions like Corrode and Abyss. Varona explained that the team wanted to move away from the trend of ever-larger maps: “I wanted to be more intentional with close-to-medium range. There are some long-range engagements; when the doors are open, that’s all the long-range engagements on the map. But when the doors are closed, it’s a lot more medium-to-close range.”

The meditation garden area also introduces curved walls, breaking one of tactical FPS gaming’s most sacred rules. In VALORANT, 90-degree corners are considered essential for peeking and holding angles. Summit’s solution is to keep combat corners at a strict 90 degrees while allowing non-combat surfaces to curve freely, creating a flowing aesthetic without sacrificing competitive integrity.

Which Agents Will Thrive on Summit?

According to Riot’s own assessment, Summit heavily favours agents who thrive in close-quarters skirmishes. Omen, Iso, and other duelists or agents comfortable fighting at short range should excel. The Operator loses much of its power once walls drop, meaning passive AWP-style defensive setups can be invalidated in seconds.

Information-gathering agents like Sova also gain a new strategic layer, as their utility can be used to remotely trigger wall panels. Timing a wall drop to cut off a rotation before it starts, eliminate a defender’s escape route, or isolate part of the map for a retake is going to reward communication-heavy teams enormously. Professional-level play on Summit could look radically different from the individual-skill-driven maps currently in the pool.

Competitive from Day One: RR Protection and Summit Only Queue

Summit enters the competitive queue immediately on launch day, a move Riot has adopted for recent map releases to let players learn in a real ranked environment. To cushion the learning curve, a two-week RR protection window applies: losses on Summit cost only 50% of the normal RR penalty, while wins still award 100% RR.

For the first seven days, a dedicated Summit Only queue will also be live, using the Swiftplay format for shorter matches. This gives players a fast, low-commitment way to explore the map’s layout and wall mechanics before committing to full competitive games.

What Else Comes with Act 4? Retake Mode and Blackspyre Skins

Act 4 is not just a map drop. Retake, a new 3v3 mode, launches alongside Summit. The mode drops players directly into post-plant scenarios: one team defends the planted Spike while the other fights to retake and defuse. Loadouts are fully randomised and escalate as the match progresses, with teams swapping sides each round. It distils VALORANT’s most intense moments into quick, focused engagements.

On the cosmetics side, the Blackspyre Collection debuts with sci-fi and dark fantasy aesthetics. The bundle includes skins for Phantom, Sheriff, Spectre, and Ares, plus a new dual-dagger melee weapon called the Divide. Leak sources suggest the full bundle will be priced around 8,700 VP, placing it in the premium tier. A new Battle Pass accompanies the update, featuring the Sky Reaper Ghost, Heal Up Squad Card, Blep Spray, and additional rewards across the free and paid tracks. All Act 4 content goes live on June 24 across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

Sage Changes Expected in Patch 13.00

Sage has been front and centre in Act 4’s promotional materials, appearing in a new outfit in the cinematic trailer. While a full character model redesign has been debunked after the showmatch, leaks from analysts who studied the Masters London gameplay suggest kit adjustments: self-heal potentially increasing from 50 to 75 HP, and Slow Orb duration rising from 7 to 9.5 seconds. Exact values will be confirmed in the official Patch 13.00 notes.

Masters London Showmatch Highlights

The Summit reveal showmatch at VCT Masters London pitted Team Chaos (sliggy, meg, Fnatic’s Boaster, Biju, and temet) against Team Calm. Team Chaos won 15-13 in overtime, giving the community its first live look at wall-drop strategies in action. The match demonstrated how mid-round wall activations created unexpected rotational chaos, validating Riot’s design philosophy of forcing adaptation on the fly.

How to Prepare for Summit

• Learn the panel locations: Memorise exactly where the A, B, and Mid wall switches sit. Knowing these positions lets you plan pre-round strategies for both attack and defence.
• Practise close-range aim: With walls closed, Summit becomes a short-to-medium range arena. Warm up with weapons like the Spectre, Sheriff, and Phantom in the Range.
• Develop utility-based panel breaks: Remote wall drops using Sova darts, Raze rockets, or similar abilities can create surprise mid-round shifts without putting anyone at risk.
• Use the RR protection window: The first two weeks are the best time to grind Summit in ranked without worrying about excessive rank loss.
• Queue Summit Only: The seven-day Swiftplay-format queue is the fastest way to internalise callouts and flow before stakes go back to normal.

Common Questions Players Are Asking

When exactly does Summit go live? Summit releases on June 24, 2026, with Patch 13.00. Some regions may receive the update on June 23 depending on time zones.

Can droppable walls be reopened? No. Once a wall is triggered, it stays down for the remainder of the round. It cannot be destroyed, shot through, or raised back up.

Is Summit in the competitive pool at launch? Yes. Summit is available in Competitive queue from day one, with a two-week 50% RR loss reduction to help players adapt.

Is the Retake mode permanent? Retake has been announced as a limited-time mode. It focuses on 3v3 post-plant scenarios with randomised loadouts and constant side-swapping.

What weapons are in the Blackspyre bundle? Phantom, Sheriff, Spectre, Ares, and the new melee weapon Divide are included in the collection.

Riot Games’ latest Vanguard anti-cheat update targets DMA cheat hardware by enforcing IOMMU protections. Devices worth up to $6,000 are rendered useless, sparking heated debate across the gaming community.

Riot Games’ kernel-level anti-cheat system Vanguard deployed an aggressive update in May 2026 that disables the majority of DMA (Direct Memory Access) cheat hardware used in Valorant and League of Legends. DMA setups, which can cost up to $6,000, were effectively turned into paperweights. Riot kicked off the controversy on May 21 by posting a photo of a pile of disabled DMA cards on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: “Congrats to the owners of a brand new $6k paperweight.” The post went viral and split the gaming community down the middle.

What Are DMA Cheat Devices?

DMA cards are FPGA-based hardware devices that plug into a motherboard’s PCIe slot. They bypass the CPU and operating system entirely, reading game memory directly from RAM through a second PC. Because the cheat process runs on a separate machine, traditional software-based anti-cheat systems have historically been unable to detect them. A full DMA cheat setup, including the card, custom firmware, a secondary PC, and display passthrough hardware, can range from a few hundred euros for budget kits to $6,000 for premium configurations. They have been considered the most effective and hardest-to-detect cheating method in competitive FPS titles for years.

How Vanguard’s IOMMU Enforcement Works

The latest Vanguard update leverages IOMMU (Input-Output Memory Management Unit), a hardware security feature built into modern CPUs and motherboards. IOMMU acts as a gatekeeper for system memory: it checks every device attempting to access RAM and blocks anything unauthorized. Riot’s update now makes IOMMU enforcement mandatory, specifically targeting DMA firmwares that use SATA and NVMe interfaces.

Here is how the process unfolds once Vanguard detects suspicious DMA activity:

• Vanguard triggers an IOMMU restart warning during gameplay.
• The DMA firmware becomes completely unusable after the warning fires.
• The device remains non-functional even after quitting the game or uninstalling Vanguard.
• The only way to restore functionality is a full OS reinstall.
• Vanguard can detect DMA hardware even when no Riot game is actively running, as long as Vanguard is installed on the system.

Riot explained that the system works by flagging DMA devices as unsafe through IOMMU, which forces Windows to cut off their memory access. Disabling IOMMU will make the cheat device functional again, but since IOMMU is required to play Valorant and League of Legends, cheaters cannot use both simultaneously.

Riot’s Official Clarification: “We Do Not Brick PCs”

The initial “paperweight” tweet caused widespread alarm, with many interpreting it to mean Vanguard was permanently bricking entire PCs. On May 22, 2026, Riot issued a detailed follow-up statement on X:

“Vanguard does not damage hardware or disable your devices. The photo we posted is a picture of cheat hardware devices that are sold explicitly for cheating in Valorant. Through our latest updates, Vanguard now makes those devices worthless for VAL, but does not in any way brick PCs or PC components or PC software.”

Riot further clarified that “this functionality only applies to systems attempting to use DMA cheat devices, and players who are not using DMA-based cheat setups are not affected.” The studio stated: “We would not, and cannot, impact your PC’s functionality in any other fashion.” It also committed to continued transparency about how its anti-cheat systems operate.

Are Innocent Players Being Affected?

Despite Riot’s reassurances, multiple players have reported issues they attribute to the update despite claiming they have never used cheat hardware. One player on Reddit wrote: “I never cheated ONCE in my whole life in any game. I don’t even use Creative on my Minecraft worlds, but my PC got bricked because of Vanguard. Had to Reset BIOS, fresh install Windows, lost all my stuff and hours of work because of it.” Another user alleged that uninstalling the Riot client corrupted their OS after registry entries flagged Vanguard as potential malware.

Some players have also reported false bans that were later reversed after contacting Riot support. Others have noticed issues with games unrelated to Riot, such as Overwatch failing to launch alongside League of Legends, with graphics card errors appearing after the update. These claims remain unverified, but they highlight the inherent risk of kernel-level software: when something goes wrong at ring 0, the consequences can be severe.

The Kernel-Level Anti-Cheat Debate

Vanguard has been controversial since its launch alongside Valorant in 2020. As a ring 0 (kernel-mode) driver that starts at system boot, it has deeper access to a PC than the user themselves. This is what makes it effective against sophisticated cheats, but it is also what fuels ongoing privacy and safety concerns.

When Vanguard was added to League of Legends in 2024, similar complaints surfaced, including high-profile incidents involving streamers experiencing PC issues. The community remains divided:

• Supporters argue that DMA cheats are impossible to stop without kernel-level access and IOMMU enforcement, and that competitive integrity justifies the approach.
• Critics contend that no game company should have the power to remotely disable user hardware, even cheat hardware, and that false positives could cause data loss and significant disruption.

Publications like Notebookcheck have argued that while cheating is unethical, remotely disabling user hardware, even temporarily, sets a dangerous precedent for the industry. Windows Central took a more measured stance, acknowledging the debate but noting satisfaction that Riot clarified PCs are not actually being bricked.

What to Do If You Get an IOMMU Restriction Error

Legitimate players encountering a “VAN: IOMMU Restriction” error are not being flagged as cheaters. The error typically means certain security features are disabled on your system. Riot’s official support page provides these steps:

1. Enable IOMMU in BIOS: For AMD, navigate to Advanced > AMD CBS > NBIO Common Options and set IOMMU to Enabled. For Intel, go to Advanced > System Agent SA Configuration and enable IOMMU Pre-boot Behavior.
2. Enable Secure Boot: Ensure your system boots in UEFI mode with Secure Boot active.
3. Enable TPM 2.0: Activate fTPM (AMD) or PTT (Intel) in your BIOS settings.
4. Turn on Memory Integrity (HVCI): In Windows Security > Device Security > Core Isolation, toggle Memory Integrity on.
5. Update BIOS and chipset drivers: Download the latest firmware from your motherboard manufacturer. In December 2025, Riot disclosed a critical pre-boot vulnerability affecting multiple motherboard brands, which manufacturers have since patched through BIOS updates.

After making these changes, restart your PC and reinstall Vanguard through the Riot Client. The restriction should clear once all required security features are properly enabled.

What This Means for Competitive Gaming

Vanguard’s latest move marks a significant escalation in the arms race between anti-cheat developers and the cheating industry. DMA hardware has been the last frontier of undetectable cheating in titles like Valorant, Counter-Strike, and Apex Legends. By making IOMMU enforcement mandatory and actively disabling non-compliant DMA firmware, Riot has set a new standard that other game developers may follow.

The broader implication is that hardware-based cheating is becoming increasingly risky and expensive with diminishing returns. As anti-cheat systems evolve to enforce platform-level security features like IOMMU, Secure Boot, and HVCI, the window for undetected hardware exploits continues to shrink.

For players who value fair competition, this is a step forward. For those concerned about software autonomy and user rights, it raises important questions about how much control game companies should wield over personal hardware. Either way, the Vanguard DMA crackdown is one of the most consequential anti-cheat developments in recent years.

Riot Games officially announced on April 8, 2026, the most significant structural overhaul in Valorant Champions Tour history. Starting with the 2027 season, the VCT shifts from a league-based system to a tournament-first ecosystem featuring open qualifiers, LAN-based regional Cups, over 20 annual tournaments across 16+ cities, and prize pools exceeding $6 million per year. With $105.2 million shared with teams in 2025 alone ($86 million from digital goods sales), the changes carry direct implications for Valorant’s thriving skin economy and account marketplace.

What Is the New VCT 2027 Tournament Model?

The core of VCT 2027 is a shift from traditional league play to a unified, single-tier competition where every match carries weight. Leo Faria, Global Head of Valorant Esports, described it as “reimagining how teams compete and how fans experience Valorant esports” by creating “a more dynamic, high-stakes ecosystem where every match matters and every team has a shot at the global stage.”

The new structure is built around three principles:

• Every match should carry weight
• The path to global events should be open to all teams
• Live events should visit more locations worldwide

Instead of season-long league stages, teams will compete through open qualifiers that feed into regional LAN tournaments called Cups. The top performers from Cups advance to Masters and Champions, the biggest stages in Valorant esports.

How Do Open Qualifiers Change the Competitive Landscape?

In previous VCT seasons, non-partnered teams had to grind through a full year of Challenger leagues for a single Ascension slot. VCT 2027 eliminates that bottleneck entirely. Starting next year, every Masters and Champions event begins with open qualifiers available to any team worldwide, with multiple qualification opportunities throughout the season.

Qualification paths will vary by region and may include community tournaments, partner events, collegiate competitions, and Premier (Valorant’s in-game competitive mode). This mirrors a Counter-Strike-like open circuit approach while retaining Valorant’s partnership infrastructure.

Top-performing non-partnered teams can now accumulate Championship Points, earn competitive payouts, and in strong seasons potentially out-earn some partnered organisations. Riot frames this as unlocking “the distribution of funds deeper into the ecosystem, in shorter cycles.”

What Are VCT Cups and How Do They Work?

VCT Cups are the centrepiece of the new format. These are short-form, high-intensity LAN events that replace traditional regular-season league play. Each of the four VCT territories will host two Cups per year, totalling eight regional Cups globally. Each Cup:

• Replaces regular season league matches
• Concludes with a fan-attended finals weekend
• Directly qualifies teams to Masters and Champions

Combined with Kickoff tournaments, Masters events, and Champions, the VCT will host over 20 tournaments annually across more than 16 cities worldwide. Events will take place in a mix of Riot studios and bespoke venues.

How Are Territories and Subregions Structured?

The four main territories remain: Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China. Each is now connected to smaller subregions that feed into the territory’s qualification pathway:

Teams qualify out of their subregion (e.g., Brazil qualifies from Brazil, Türkiye from Türkiye) and advance to their territory’s Cups. This structure preserves regional identity while creating a clearer route to the global stage for teams from every corner of the world.

What Happens to the Partnership System?

A new two-year partnership cycle begins in 2027, with applications now open. Partnered teams will continue to serve as pillars of the VCT ecosystem and receive several benefits:

• Guaranteed base payment: A fixed annual payment for stability
• Performance bonus: Additional rewards for teams excelling at partnership goals
• Team Capsules: In-game skins (currently Classic weapon skins, buddies, player cards, and sprays) that generate revenue through fan purchases
• Direct seeding: Placement into later qualifier rounds for increased stability and exposure

Critically, only partnered teams receive digital merchandising support through Team Capsules. Non-partnered teams that qualify will receive cash incentives, prize pool access, and fully funded travel, but not the same digital goods revenue stream. This incentivises organisations to pursue partnership while keeping the competitive door open.

$86 Million in Digital Goods: The Financial Engine Behind VCT

The financial scale of Valorant esports is remarkable. In 2025, Riot shared over $105.2 million with VCT partner teams, the highest figure to date. Of that total, $86 million came directly from digital esports goods: team-branded Classic skins, the Season Capsule, and the Champions Collection. This nearly doubled the $44 million generated in 2024.

Team Capsules for 2026 include an updated Classic skin with new VFX, an achievements tracker, an animated player card, a spray, and a buddy, priced at 2,320 VP (1,650 VP for returning buyers). The top-selling EMEA capsule in 2025 was Team Heretics, followed by Karmine Corp, M8, Fnatic, and BBL Esports.

Looking ahead, Leo Faria hinted at a major evolution for 2027, stating he is “excited to share that we’re cooking up a new plan for digital goods in 2027. Something new… maybe not so classic.” This strongly suggests team skins could expand beyond the Classic pistol to other weapons, potentially transforming the revenue model further.

How Does the VCT Overhaul Affect Skin Value and Account Prices?

The connection between esports activity and skin demand is well-documented. As VCT viewership grows and more tournaments generate limited-edition digital goods, the pool of collectible, time-limited skins increases. This has a direct impact on account values in the secondary market.

Key factors that drive Valorant account value include:

• Skin collection: Rare and limited skins (Champions Collections, VCT Capsules, retired Battle Pass items) are the single largest value driver
• Competitive rank: Higher ranks like Immortal and Radiant command premium prices
• Account age and Battle Pass history: Completed passes from older seasons add nostalgic and scarcity value
• Agent unlocks: Fully unlocked agent rosters are more attractive to buyers
• Clean account history: Ban-free accounts with no restrictions trade at higher prices

VCT 2027’s expanded tournament calendar means more limited-edition drops, more team capsule cycles, and potentially new weapon skin types tied to esports. For collectors and account traders, this creates a growing inventory of time-sensitive cosmetics that appreciate in value once removed from the store. The Champions 2021 Collection, for example, now commands prices far above its original VP cost due to its rarity.

More Prize Money, More Exposure, More Demand

VCT 2027 brings over $6 million in annual prize pools alongside fully funded travel for global events. Financial rewards scale with tournament prestige: payouts roughly double from Cups to Masters, and double again from Masters to Champions. A portion of annual funds will also be dedicated to Game Changers.

This financial structure, combined with the open ecosystem, means more teams competing at a higher level, more matches generating storylines, and more fan engagement driving digital goods sales. For the skin and account market, the feedback loop is clear: more esports visibility leads to more skin purchases, more limited collections, and ultimately more valuable accounts.

What the Season Structure Looks Like in 2027

1. Q4 2026: Open qualifiers for Kickoff (post-Champions 2026)
2. Kickoff: Season-opening tournament with a unique format, open to all qualified teams
3. Masters 1: First international event, fed by Kickoff results
4. Cup 1 Qualifiers + Cup 1: Regional open qualifiers leading into LAN Cups across all four territories
5. Masters 2: Second international event, fed by Cup 1 results
6. Cup 2 Qualifiers + Cup 2: Second round of regional LAN Cups
7. Champions: The pinnacle global championship closing the season

Every Cup concludes with a live finals weekend featuring fan attendance. The expanded geographic footprint (16+ cities) ensures fans across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and beyond can experience live Valorant esports.

Things Worth Knowing Before 2027

When does the new VCT format take effect?

VCT 2027 launches with the 2027 competitive season. Kickoff qualifiers will begin in Q4 2026 after Champions concludes. Detailed regional calendars, slot allocations, and event locations will be revealed later in 2026.

Can non-partnered teams really compete financially?

Yes. Non-partnered teams earn cash tied to each qualification stage, access prize pools totalling over $6 million annually, receive funded travel for global events, and accumulate Championship Points. In strong seasons, top non-partners can out-earn lower-placed partner teams. However, Team Capsule revenue remains exclusive to partners.

Will there be new team skins beyond the Classic?

Leo Faria’s statement about “cooking up a new plan for digital goods in 2027… maybe not so classic” is a strong hint. While unconfirmed, the community widely expects team skins to expand to additional weapons, which would significantly increase digital goods revenue and create new collectibles.

How does this affect Valorant account trading?

More tournaments mean more limited-edition skins, capsules, and collections. Each new esports cosmetic that eventually leaves the store becomes a scarcity-driven value driver for accounts. As the VCT expands its reach and viewership, demand for accounts holding rare esports items is likely to grow.

Is Valorant’s player base still strong enough to support this expansion?

Valorant maintains roughly 17 to 21 million monthly active players depending on the content cycle, with daily active users in the millions and peak concurrent counts exceeding 900,000 during major events. The player base comfortably supports an expanded esports ecosystem.

The Bottom Line

VCT 2027 represents the boldest evolution of Valorant esports since the game launched in 2020. The shift to a tournament-first, open-qualifier model removes barriers for rising teams, increases competitive stakes from the very first match, and brings live events to more cities than ever before. For the broader Valorant economy, the expanded tournament schedule and evolving digital goods strategy are poised to deepen the connection between esports fandom and skin demand, creating new opportunities for collectors and traders alike. Whether you are building your skin collection, evaluating an account for sale, or simply watching the pro scene evolve, VCT 2027 is a turning point worth paying attention to.

VALORANT Ayakashi set stands out among the Japanese mythology themed cosmetic collections recently highlighted by Riot Games. The core theme of the set draws inspiration from the concept of Ayakashi which is associated with spirits and supernatural beings. This approach goes beyond the classic VALORANT skin style by emphasizing atmosphere and visual identity. Valorant new Ayakashi set is not only a visual innovation but also represents a different direction in the games cosmetic perception.

What Is Included In The Ayakashi Set?

Ayakashi set content is designed to include some of the most preferred weapons by players. While Phantom and Ghost skins take the spotlight the special melee weapon named Kogitsune is positioned as the signature piece of the collection. The Ayakashi melee design stands apart from rival sets with animations that give a dual katana feel. This structure provides a clear answer to the question of what the Ayakashi bundle is while presenting a collection with high value.

Ayakashi Skin Design And Effects

Ayakashi skin Valorant stands out especially with its animations and sound effects. Light transitions used on the weapon skins blend with patterns inspired by Japanese art. The presence of unique reload animations and hit sounds for each weapon places Ayakashi in a strong position among premium skin sets. For players searching for a Valorant Japanese themed skin this set offers a satisfying experience both visually and technically.

Ayakashi Set Price And Access

Ayakashi bundle price is positioned in the premium segment which places it above standard sets. Access to the set is provided through the in game store and purchases are made using Valorant Points. This creates an important advantage especially for users who play on multiple servers.

Value Of The Ayakashi Set For Players

Ayakashi set contributes to players not only visually but also in terms of long term usage value. The thematic consistency of the set creates an attractive alternative for collectors. In addition for players interested in Valorant account sales or those who want to increase the value of their account premium sets like Ayakashi can be a significant advantage.

Valorant players have been waiting for the arrival of mystbloom 2.0 and the new mystic flower theme has already gained strong attention within the community. The floral patterns pastel color transitions and shimmering effects of the series evolve into a more modern and vivid design in this new version. Early images and leaks about the valorant mystbloom 2.0 set have already sparked curiosity among many players.

General Design Features Of The Mystbloom 2.0 Set

The Mystbloom 2.0 series maintains the aesthetic line of the original bundle while offering richer floral textures sharper color transitions and improved animation effects. In addition to pastel tones the glow and soft reflections appearing on the weapon surfaces enhance the mystic flower theme. With these qualities it becomes an appealing option for players seeking a new valorant skin bundle.

Weapons Included In The Set

One of the most notable weapons in the Mystbloom 2.0 set is the mystbloom 2.0 vandal. Given the popularity of the Vandal in game this new variant is expected to attract significant interest. The mystbloom 2.0 ghost adds an elegant touch within the light weapon category. The special Outlaw skin stands out as a new addition that was not present in the previous version. The most talked about part of the set is the mystbloom 2.0 fan melee which completes the mystic flower aesthetic.

Mystbloom 2.0 Price Expectations

Although Riot has not made an official announcement the expected mystbloom 2.0 price is estimated based on previous bundle pricing. Considering the cost of the first mystbloom set the new bundle is likely to fall within a similar VP range. The expansion of the content and the addition of a new melee option may slightly increase the overall cost. Since players are eager to know the mystbloom 2.0 price and its variants it is normal for this topic to be one of the most searched.

Mystbloom 2.0 Expected Release Date

Leaks regarding the valorant mystbloom 2.0 release date focus on a specific period. Shared information suggests that the set is expected to appear in the store soon. Although the exact release date is still unknown estimates within the community indicate that the launch is not far away. The possibility of it arriving before the new season appears to be strong.

Where To Purchase The Mystbloom 2.0 Set

When the Mystbloom 2.0 set becomes available in the store players will be able to access these special cosmetics on their accounts. For those who want to experience the new skins on a ready made profile another option is to purchase a ready valorant account. GamerMarkt offers a wide range of secure accounts with different levels and content allowing players to quickly find what they need.

The Valorant 1110 patch brings a Harbor rework update that reshapes the power balance between control agents. Topics such as how to play Harbor and did Harbor get buffed are actively discussed as the new mechanics offer a strong advantage in competitive matches. In this guide you will find the most up to date insights about the Valorant Harbor rework along with detailed analysis of ability changes and meta impact to enhance your gameplay efficiency.

Key Changes In The New Harbor Ability Set

After the rework Harbor now plays as a more aggressive control agent. The signature ability Cove provides a dual defensive function with both classic smoke and protective shield smoke. High Tide now requires purchase which makes positional choices more important. The most striking new ability Storm Surge slows opponents and forces nearsight with a powerful vortex effect. The new ultimate Reckoning moves forward as a wide wave of water and creates high value during site take and retake scenarios.

Changes In Game Balance After The Harbor Rework

The 1110 update brings Harbor back into the meta as a strong option. Storm Surge allows area pressure High Tide cuts lines of sight and Cove creates safe entry zones which makes Harbor a versatile pick. Harbor performance rises especially on Ascent Lotus and Bind where choke points are narrow. He fits both solo controller and double controller team setups with strong efficiency.

Effective Gameplay Strategies For The Harbor Rework

The new Harbor stands at the center of aggressive entry setups. On attack you can weaken choke points with Storm Surge cut lines of sight with High Tide and activate Cove in shield mode to support your team with a safe entry path. On defense you can hold a zone alone with High Tide and break fast enemy pressure using Storm Surge.

• Storm Surge → High Tide → Flash entry is one of the strongest setups in the meta.
• Cove shield mode adds extra durability in retake and post plant situations.
• High Tide long line control is highly effective on Breeze and Lotus.

General Evaluation Of The Harbor Rework Update

The Harbor rework transforms the agent from a passive choice into a strong team tool. The renewed ability kit increases both individual and team focused performance. Players seeking stronger results in competitive matches can upgrade their gameplay easily with the right improvements.

Riot Games added a new Valorant skin bundle to the store and created huge excitement in the community. The Valorant Nanomight bundle draws attention with modern lines nano textured surfaces and neon highlights. It offers both a strong presence in competitive matches and collectible value. In this article you will find key details about the Valorant Nanomight skins answers to the question How much VP is Nanomight information on the Nanomight bundle price the full Nanomight weapons list and Nanomight VP price expectations.

Main Features of the Nanomight Bundle

The Nanomight collection offers shiny surface effects vivid color options and clean animation transitions. It is ideal for players who enjoy a minimal futuristic theme. The Nanomight Phantom draws attention with its barrel design and overall body structure. The unique Nanomight melee also creates a distinctive style compared to other collections. The bundle is expected to be available for a limited time so players should act quickly if they do not want to miss it.

Contents of the Bundle

The Nanomight collection includes primary and sidearm skins along with a unique melee model. Each cosmetic follows the same nano light theme.

• Nanomight Phantom
• Nanomight Guardian
• Nanomight Stinger
• Nanomight Frenzy
• Nanomight Knuckle Weapon

How Much VP is the Nanomight Bundle?

The Valorant Nanomight bundle price is confirmed by the official store. The full bundle costs 5100 VP. Each weapon skin can be purchased individually for 1275 VP. The exclusive melee skin costs 2550 VP. Other accessories are sold separately.

Release Period and Store Duration

The Valorant Nanomight bundle is a limited time collection. The Nanomight release date is announced as October 2025 and similar to other Valorant bundle rotations this bundle is expected to stay in the store for about two weeks. Since popular Valorant new skin bundle releases rotate quickly players who like this theme should not delay their decision. Checking the store regularly helps avoid missing desired variants and the bundle itself.

The Valorant Nanomight bundle stands out with sharp neon accents soft light transitions and a modern futuristic look. It is one of the most eye catching collections released recently. The Phantom skin and knuckle style melee weapon give the set a strong identity. Compared to other bundles in the same tier the Nanomight price is competitive. It is a great option for players who want stylish cosmetics and a larger skin collection.

If you enjoy minimal yet striking designs and want to show style in game the Nanomight weapons will meet your expectations. If the theme matches your taste this bundle will help you express your identity in Valorant.