VALORANT pros like Derke and TenZ criticize VCT EMEA for poor hardware, high ping, and constant tech pauses. Riot Games promises fixes, but frustration continues to grow.
The VCT EMEA circuit is facing serious backlash from players and fans alike after repeated technical failures disrupted multiple match days. Frustrations reached a boiling point when several professional VALORANT players, led by Team Vitality’s Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev, publicly criticized the ongoing poor conditions during Stage 1 of the tournament.
For weeks, matches have been plagued by constant technical pauses, stuttering gameplay, and hardware failures, severely affecting the flow of competition. The situation culminated during the Group Stage series between Team Liquid and Movistar KOI, where a 30-minute delay forced Riot officials to move the game to a new server — only for further issues to arise. Eventually, matches had to be played online with players competing at significantly higher ping levels than normal.
Derke took to social media to express his disappointment, stating that players have raised these concerns since the start of franchising in 2023, but Riot Games repeatedly asked them to “be patient.” Three years later, little has changed. According to Derke, players are still dealing with unoptimized PCs, poor monitor quality, and game settings that change without warning. Most tech pauses, he explained, stem from the game stuttering so severely that it becomes unplayable. Yet, even after IT inspections, players are usually instructed to continue without real fixes.
Adding to the controversy, Derke pointed out that the equipment used for VALORANT in EMEA is primarily built for League of Legends tournaments, a less hardware-intensive game. “It’s honestly shocking to see that every other region has better PCs and monitors while we’re stuck with League setups,” he said.
Former Sentinels star Tyson “TenZ” Ngo echoed these sentiments, revealing that Riot’s persistent neglect of technical problems was one of the reasons he retired. “The best players and teams don’t always get the best conditions to perform at their highest potential,” TenZ said, calling the situation “completely unacceptable.”
The frustrations boiled over on April 25, when matches between Team Liquid vs. Karmine Corp and FNATIC vs. Team Heretics were postponed due to “significant and ongoing technical issues.” Riot later issued a statement promising full refunds to fans who had purchased tickets. Players like FNATIC’s Jake “Boaster” Howlett apologized directly to fans, some of whom had traveled internationally to attend the event, offering personal meet-and-greets to make up for the disappointment.
Amidst the chaos, Riot’s Head of VALORANT Esports EMEA, Daniel Ringland, issued an apology and promised a thorough investigation during the break between the Regular Season and Playoffs, which start May 8. Additionally, Riot plans to introduce a Player Council to better address professional feedback and is considering large-scale equipment upgrades later this year.
Still, many players and fans remain skeptical. Until meaningful changes are implemented, the shadow of technical instability threatens to undermine the competitive integrity of VCT EMEA — a league that should be showcasing the highest level of VALORANT talent in the world.
Read the latest game tournaments and eSports news via Tournova.
