VALORANT’s Studio Head & Esports Lead talk esports ecosystem changes

VALORANT has come a long way as both a game and an esports title since its release in 2020. Now available on PC and console, it features a diverse pool of 27 agents and 17 maps. So far, four VALORANT Champions winners have been crowned, and the battle for the next trophy continues with the 2025 VCT season.

The first international event of the year, VALORANT Masters Bangkok, saw Korean powerhouse T1 take home the trophy and teams are now gearing up for Stage 1. The 2025 VCT season introduced multiple changes to the schedule and Championship Points system, which were well received by the community.

However, not all adjustments have been met with the same enthusiasm—especially the introduction of Tejo in Kickoff just a week after its release, which sparked backlash from VCT teams.

Esports Insider spoke with Leo Faria, Global Head of VALORANT Esports, and Anna Donlon, SVP & Studio Head of VALORANT, about how they make decisions regarding game and esports changes based on feedback and internal ideas.

Leo explained that they evaluate three key factors before making any decision—whether it’s designing a tournament, creating a product, or implementing a change.

Said Faria: “First, is it working as intended? Sometimes, we have a specific intention, but when we see it in action, it doesn’t work as expected. Second, are fans behaving the way we anticipated? Are they watching? Are they playing? Are they engaging with the game in the way we intended? And third, what is their feedback?”

According to Faria, the primary reason behind this approach is the diverse opinions and preferences of VALORANT’s millions of players worldwide. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone, so while feedback is important, they must also stay true to their vision.

“Feedback is just one of the components we consider. Sometimes, people say one thing but do another, so we try to balance all three factors before deciding whether something is worth changing or keeping,” he added.

Donlon expanded on Faria’s response, saying: “We truly bring the player and their opinions into almost every discussion we have. We won’t always agree, but we’ll always try to get it right. And when we don’t, we’ll do our best to fix it.”

When things go wrong, they often have to make difficult decisions to fix them. However, as a company, they believe it’s crucial to acknowledge their mistakes, Anna added.

That’s why they maintain constant communication with Rioters worldwide in order to stay informed about what’s happening in different communities while working from Los Angeles.

“It would be easy for us to develop a U.S.-centric bias since most of us are based in Los Angeles, but we hold ourselves accountable. We make sure our local Rioters understand what’s happening in their communities, and I take their advice and feedback very seriously,” Donlon said.

It is safe to say that Riot Games is one of the most active publishers when it comes to making tough decisions and taking necessary actions for the overall benefit of VALORANT and its esports scene. This has been evident in multiple instances—such as allowing G2 to pick up The Guard’s roster, adjusting the schedule to accommodate more OFF//SEASON events, and more.