The Valorant Champions Tour 2025: Americas Kickoff begins today, January 16, and fans are highly optimistic about which team will take this year’s title.
The tournament, running until February 8, 2025, at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, features twelve teams fighting for two spots at the Valorant Masters Bangkok.
Of these, the Sentinels are a clear frontrunner, but they will not be short of fair opposition.
Let’s, therefore, examine some of the likely contenders and potential underdogs for this year’s VCT.
The Team to Beat
The Sentinels have been considered a powerhouse in North America after they managed to grab a couple of consecutive titles recently at the 2024 Masters Madrid and the VCT Americas event. They have very strategic gameplay due to a high average combat score (ACS) as a team.
Key Players:
- TenZ: Mechanical skill and clutch potential; game-changer.
- ShahZaM: The captain brings leadership and tactical insight.
- Dapr: The support he plays is essential to make the aggressive plays work.
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Top Rivals
While Sentinels are strong, they do have some very serious challengers from other rival teams:
- G2 Esports
G2 Esports comes into the tournament with a strong roster and a history of competitive success.
They finished second at the Americas League Stage 1 event in 2024 and have retained their roster since October 2023. Their strategic gameplay, coupled with the ability to switch quickly between different strategies, makes them deadly.
Key Players:
- Asuna: Aggressive in his playstyle, he can change the tide of the game towards his team with his accurate shooting.
- yocells: A rising star who can be very versatile and catch opponents off guard.
- LeviatanLeviatan looked so promising in previous tournaments and managed to climb to top positions in the 2024 season. The team’s harmony must have already been obvious, which makes them certainly not an easy opponent for any team.
Key Players:
- Mistic: A star player, good at creating opportunities for his teammates.
- Nuky: His experience adds depth to their strategy.
Underdogs
Every tournament has teams that will perform way better than everybody’s expectations. These are probably the hardest to pick but make sure to keep an eye on these guys:
- Evil Geniuses
Having undergone a few roster changes recently they looked very promising during the practice matches. By adding Icy and Yay to their roster, they could possibly catch the more established teams off guard.
Key Players:
- yay: Known for his sharpshooting skills, this player stands out.
- icy: His ability to control engagements can be pivotal.
- NRG EsportsNRG has been gradually improving its gameplay; they could capitalize on any missteps from the higher-ranked teams, and its mix of old and new blood makes the team unpredictable.
Key Players:
- v1c: Known for his clutch plays that can shift momentum.
- Derrek: His leadership on the field is important for team cohesion.
While Sentinels are surely the favorites coming off the back of recent success and an immensely talented roster, teams like G2 Esports and Leviatan promise to be strong challengers. This battle will, without a doubt, be exciting, with realistically unpredictable outcomes, given that potential dark horses will be out in full force.
The competition starts today, and all eyes are on these teams as they battle for glory and a chance to represent North America in Bangkok later this year.