Riot Games has officially announced the return of VALORANT Ascension Americas 2025 to São Paulo, Brazil. The prestigious tier-two tournament, which serves as a gateway to the top-tier VCT Americas league, will feature significant changes to its format, structure, and potential promotion implications. With an increased prize pool and more teams involved, the 2025 edition promises higher intensity and deeper competition than ever before.
The Stage is Set: São Paulo Hosts the Americas Once Again
São Paulo, Brazil—renowned for its passionate esports fanbase—will once again serve as the battleground for Ascension Americas. Taking place in October 2025, the tournament will offer a $100,000 (~£74,757) prize pool, divided among the eight participating teams. Riot Games has yet to confirm the specific dates and ticketing information, but expectations are high for a lively live audience and a massive digital viewership.
An Evolved Format: More Teams, More Matches, More Drama
Riot Games is shaking things up for Ascension Americas 2025, introducing a revamped format that raises the stakes and deepens the competition. Moving from six to eight teams, this year’s tournament brings new layers of complexity through the addition of a play-in phase and a Swiss-style group stage, culminating in a high-stakes double-elimination playoff. These changes not only accommodate potential shifts in team eligibility but also create more opportunities for rising squads to prove themselves on the path to VCT promotion.
From Six to Eight: Expanding the Roster
Unlike previous editions, Ascension Americas 2025 will feature eight teams instead of six. This expansion stems from Riot Games’ newly introduced evaluation process for teams previously promoted to VCT Americas—G2 Esports and 2GAME Esports.
Play-In Phase: A New Gateway
A play-in phase will be introduced to handle potential changes based on G2 and 2GAME’s evaluation outcomes. The third seeds from each regional Challengers League—Brazil (BR), Latin America (LATAM), and North America (NA)—will compete in a single round-robin format. This phase only occurs if one or none of the promoted teams are required to return to Ascension.
Main Tournament: Swiss Phase and Playoffs
Once play-in winners are determined (if necessary), they will join the top two seeds from each Challengers region, forming the core of the eight-team tournament. These teams will then compete in a Swiss-style group phase, where the top four teams will qualify for the playoffs.
The playoff stage will use a double-elimination bracket. All matches will be best-of-three, except for the Lower Bracket Final and the Grand Final, which will be best-of-five.
G2 Esports and 2GAME Esports: At a Crossroads
As VALORANT Ascension Americas 2025 approaches, two familiar names—G2 Esports and 2GAME Esports—find themselves at a pivotal moment in their competitive journey. After earning promotion to VCT Americas through past Ascension triumphs, both teams now face an evaluation process that could either solidify their place among the elite or send them back to the tier-two battlefield. Their current standings and performances throughout the 2024 season will play a decisive role in determining their future—highlighting the unforgiving nature of Riot Games’ promotion-relegation system.
G2 Esports: Likely to Retain Their VCT Spot
As one of the strongest teams in the VCT Americas, G2 Esports has consistently delivered top-tier performances. With a top-three finish in multiple stages and a recent victory at VCT Americas: Stage 1, G2 is a strong candidate to retain its spot in the VCT without needing to return to Ascension.
2GAME Esports: On the Brink of Relegation
The story is different for 2GAME Esports, who have struggled to make an impact in the VCT Americas. With bottom-half finishes in both the Kickoff and Stage 1 events, they face a real possibility of being relegated back to the Challengers League. If this happens, they will need to compete in Ascension to reclaim their position.
Promotion Spots: What’s at Stake?
The number of promotion slots in VCT Americas will depend on the results of the evaluations for G2 and 2GAME. There are three scenarios:
- Both Teams Retain VCT Spots: No promotion spots are available.
- One Team is Relegated: One promotion spot opens in Ascension.
- Both Teams are Relegated: Two promotion spots will be up for grabs.
Given G2’s strength and 2GAME’s underperformance, the most likely scenario is that one VCT spot will be available in this year’s Ascension tournament.
Looking Ahead: A Pivotal Year for Tier-Two VALORANT
VALORANT Ascension Americas 2025 is shaping up to be a defining moment for the region’s tier-two ecosystem. With increased competition, evolving team dynamics, and promotion to the elite league on the line, fans can expect intense rivalries and breakout performances. For aspiring teams, this is the ultimate stage to prove their worth and join the upper echelon of competitive VALORANT.
Stay tuned for ticket sales, confirmed match dates, and team announcements in the weeks leading up to October.
