Game Changers: making Valorant esports inclusive for women

eurogamer.net:

«Even from a young age, I always knew I wanted to work in esports,» says Daniela «Jupi» Gradl. Gradl is a Valorant player and member of the RIX.gg Lightning team. «Game Changers has not only given me that opportunity, but the opportunity to play professionally full-time, which is like a dream come true.»

Even as the video games industry becomes more diverse — both the stories told and the people making them — esports has remained a male-dominated world. But slowly that's changing and Riot's Game Changers programme is at the forefront.

«Valorant's competitive community is diverse and incredibly global, with a significant portion of our competitive players being women, and yet the lack of support for these women going pro was, and still is, an obstacle we needed to overcome,» says Vera Wienken, senior brand manager and VCT Game Changers EMEA lead for Riot Games. «Game Changers exists to combat these obstacles, it exists for women who are here to stay.»

Game Changers is an accelerator programme for women in esports, creating opportunities for exposure that empower women playing Valorant. «It helps create a true reflection of our vibrant, diverse community,» says Wienken. «And the truth is, this is just as important for players as it is for esports organisations looking for the next generation of world-class talent to join their rosters.»

The initiative has three aims: to educate, elevate, and engage.

As Wienken explains: «We educate by highlighting the diversity of our burgeoning community, making those players more visible to the wider fanbase and then kickstarting their path to pro through the Game Changers programme. We elevate those who have shown dedication to this path, showcasing their skills to teams and