Toronto is filled with banners and murals in support of VCT Masters in Toronto which will be held at the Enercare Centre from June 7 - June 22.
Fans in Toronto are preparing in many different ways for the first Valorant major in Canada and many Torontonians are excited because they thought they wouldn’t be able to see an event like this.
Rochelle Cruz, a Paper Rex fan, said she never thought she'd see an event like this in Canada.
“I never thought we’d be able to have such a big event happen in Canada for Valorant let alone the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) so I’m thrilled to be able to attend,” she said.
She will also be preparing her wallet as she plans to buy official Valorant Merch and art from Artist Alley.
“I can't wait to shop for Valorant merch from some of my favourite local artists as well as maybe snag some official Valorant merch in addition to just being in the same space as other Valorant enjoyers,” she said.
Though Cruz will be attending as a fan, others will be attending as workers of the event.
Like Lanvy Nguyen who will be attending as a helper for Red Bull’s activation and she said fans should expect it to be fun.
Though she will be attending as a worker she also bought tickets to the major and will be joining her friends.
She said she is excited because there aren't many big esports events in Toronto.
“Now we finally get a chance with something Riot-related in Toronto,” she said.
Other attendees include a local collegiate esports org called Humber Esports.
Bernard Mafei, the senior administrator of Humber Esports, will be bringing some of his organization's members to VCT Masters. He said he wants to provide his students with industry experience.
“At Humber Esports, we provide students with a chance to pursue esports in a supportive and educational environment. Key to that is heading off campus and getting up close with the industry,” he said.
“For me, it amounts to us following through on our promise to enhance their journey as young people, through this thing we love, in the presence of the spectacle. Live events are one of the best parts of esports!” Mafei said.
He wants his organization members to see how the pros operate on and off the stage.
“I hope our students take note of the production scale, the storytelling, the professionalism of players, and how community and culture intersect at a global level,” Mafei said.
“It’s also a chance to learn what excellence looks like, firsthand, and understand what it takes to get there,” he said.
Mafei isn’t just the senior admin of Humber Esports, he is also a chair member of Esports Canada, a not-for-profit and national body for Canadian esports.
He talked about the effect VCT Masters would have on the esports scene within Toronto and Canada he said, it will have a massive effect on the scene.
“Having a global tier-1 event like VCT Masters in Toronto is a statement. It tells the world that Canada is not just a spectator, but a contributor to the global esports ecosystem,” he said.
“ From a national lens, it builds legitimacy, it sparks investment interest, and it inspires future talent,” he said.
“Esport Canada has been working to unite and elevate the scene across provinces, and events like this give us fuel to keep growing,” Mafei said.
VCT Masters Toronto will be an event that will give inspiration, hype, excitement and maybe even heartbreak for supporters of teams that get eliminated.
Either way, esports fans will remember this event for years to come.