Riot Games said it distributed more than $100 million to teams competing in the VALORANT Champions Tour in 2025, marking a significant year for the publisher’s global esports strategy and underscoring the growing commercial scale of the tactical shooter’s competitive scene.

The company announced the results as part of its year-end overview of the VALORANT Champions Tour, known as VCT, noting strong growth in both digital item sales and global viewership. According to Riot Games, total distributions to VCT partner teams exceeded $105 million during the 2025 season, with esports-related digital item sales accounting for $86 million of that figure.

Those digital sales, which included team-branded weapon skins, seasonal capsules, and the annual Champions Collection, nearly doubled year-over-year revenue from 2024. Riot said fan demand for in-game cosmetics tied directly to teams and major events continues to be a core revenue driver for the league.

The publisher framed the results as evidence that its revenue-sharing model has created a more stable financial foundation for teams. Unlike traditional sponsorship-heavy approaches, the VCT structure ties team income closely to in-game purchases made by fans across regions.

International events and fan engagement reach new highs

Beyond digital sales, Riot highlighted strong performance from its international events calendar. Masters Bangkok, which concluded with a victory by T1, became the most-watched Masters event in VALORANT history, according to the company. The season culminated with Champions Paris, where NRG Esports defeated Fnatic in a five-map final to claim the world title.

Riot also pointed to rising engagement across its broader ecosystem. The Game Changers Pick’Em prediction feature drew more than two million participants, setting a new participation record for the program. In addition, a redesigned broadcast heads-up display was introduced during the season, which Riot said contributed to increased watch time and improved viewer comprehension.

Leo Faria, global head of VALORANT Esports, said the 2025 season reflected the combined efforts of players, teams, and fans throughout the year. He described the sustained engagement as a key factor in the league’s long-term outlook.

VALORANT esports operates across four international leagues—Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China—supported by a global Challengers circuit that spans more than 20 regions. Riot Games has positioned the system as a long-term pipeline designed to support both top-tier competition and emerging talent worldwide.