The VCT EMEA stage has descended into complete chaos. Scheduled to finish the group stage on April 25, two crucial matches—Team Liquid vs KC and Fnatic vs Team Heretics—could not be completed, raising major concerns across the competitive Valorant scene.
A Night of Nonstop Tech Pauses
During Team Liquid’s match against KC, the broadcast experienced unprecedented delays. While the first map started normally, it quickly became apparent something was wrong. After nearly every round, players were seen laughing or exchanging concerned glances, anticipating the inevitable technical pause.
In the first five rounds alone, a round would be played, followed by a pause of five to ten minutes. Although a brief stable period allowed approximately 12 rounds to be completed, issues resurfaced toward the end. A particularly glaring moment occurred when Keiko, Liquid’s Raze player, disconnected mid-round, appearing on screen to run across the map like a Yoru clone. The round had to be rolled back, with KC initially winning before Liquid reclaimed the point after the replay.
Ultimately, the first map ended 13–6 in favor of Team Liquid, but attempts to start map two failed. Riot Games officially postponed the rest of the day’s matches, citing major technical difficulties.
Riot’s Statement and the Online Server Switch
Riot Games’ Head of Esports for EMEA publicly apologized, admitting that the experience fell well below expected standards. In an effort to continue the competition, Riot had already shifted matches from local LAN servers to online servers earlier in the event. However, even after switching online, issues persisted, causing significant delays during the KC vs Team Liquid match.
Stupendous explained that fixing the problems was complex. The arena operates almost daily, offering little downtime for thorough system overhauls, and resolving the issues requires coordination with multiple technical teams across the world.
The hope was that online servers would provide stability, but instead, they introduced even longer pauses and instability. This created one of the most disrupted Valorant events since the partnership era began.
The Uncertain Fate of the Completed Map
Despite Team Liquid winning the map against KC, its validity remains uncertain. Nats, Liquid’s star player, even tweeted humorously that the “longest VCT EMEA map might be for nothing.” The map saw constant interruptions, round rollbacks, and technical interferences, making it arguably unrepresentative of a normal competitive environment.
As a result, Riot may opt to disregard the first map entirely, potentially forcing a complete replay of the series. Such a move would add even more scheduling headaches for an already strained tournament timeline.
What Happens Next for VCT EMEA?
Both postponed matches—Team Liquid vs KC and Fnatic vs Team Heretics—hold major playoff implications. Team Liquid aims for the first seed, while KC fights to avoid slipping to fourth. Fnatic and Team Heretics also battle for top positions in their group.
Luckily, EMEA has slightly more flexibility than other regions. Playoffs do not begin until May 8, providing a small window to address technical issues and reschedule the matches. However, with the Riot Games Arena’s calendar packed with other events, including rumored LEC broadcasts, finding time will not be simple.
The biggest questions now are when and how the matches will resume. Will Riot fix the underlying issues in time? Will the disrupted map between Liquid and KC be replayed? Until answers emerge, VCT EMEA remains trapped in unprecedented uncertainty.
