Riot Games to Share Over $100M with 2025 VCT Partner Teams from In-Game Item Sales

Posted : 17 December 2025

Riot Games has revealed that the 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) will share over $100 million (~£75 million) with its partner teams through in-game esports digital goods.

Leo Faria, Global Head of VALORANT Esports, confirmed that more than $86 million (~£65 million) of the shared revenue was generated directly from esports digital item sales, up from $44.3 million (~£33 million) last year.

“2025 was a defining year for VALORANT esports. We witnessed incredible competition, unforgettable stories, and record-breaking engagement from players and fans worldwide,” Faria said in a press release.

“Our community continues to elevate this sport, and their passion fuels one of the healthiest ecosystems in esports. With new pathways for aspiring teams and more global live events in 2026, we’re entering an exciting new era for the VCT, and we’re just getting started.”

The franchised VALORANT Champions Tour features 40 partner teams and eight organisations promoted from the tier-two scene across four regions: EMEA, Americas, Pacific, and China. In addition to holding a VCT slot, these teams directly benefit from revenue generated through several esports in-game bundles released each year.

During the 2025 VCT season, fans supported their favourite teams through dedicated VCT team capsules, introduced last year. These bundles include a Classic skin, a player card, a spray, and a gun buddy. Additionally, a significant portion of revenue is generated from the annual VALORANT Champions bundle, celebrating the game’s season-ending international tournament. Riot has also experimented with time-limited bundles, including the 2025 VCT Season Capsules.

Last year, total shared revenue reached $78.4 million (~£59 million), with $44.3 million (~£33 million) derived from digital item sales, and the remaining funds coming from stipends and prize pools.

Looking ahead to 2026, major changes are planned for the VCT ecosystem. Challengers teams will have the opportunity to directly qualify for VALORANT Champions for the first time since franchising began.

Riot also plans to expand access to funding resources for more teams, including a ‘Champions competitive share’ for non-partner teams that qualify for Champions. The end-of-year letter hinted at further innovations for VCT digital goods in 2027, teasing “something new… maybe not so classic.”

Riot Games to Share Over $100M with 2025 VCT Partner Teams from In-Game Item Sales

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