Valorant is launching its new game mode, Premier, that will offer competition higher than Radiant, the game’s current ceiling in ranking in their competitive mode. A league that will allow the common, yet above-average player to get a taste of how high-level competition plays out, how the life of a competitor goes, and if they’re even up for the challenge.

The mode will fire up on Saturday and will have weekly matches that will play till May 20, and the teams at the top will then make their way into the tournament and fight for a spot in the Valorant Champions Tour Circuit. This is a great opportunity for all players in the highest tiers of the ranked mode, to try and test themselves at the next level, but I highly doubt the average ranked player will find themselves competing for a spot in the VCT circuit. In reality, the teams that find themselves at the top will consist of pros who aren’t signed.

The top teams will consist of past pros because of the intangibles that they have behind the screen. These past pros have experience with the competitor’s life and have proven to be dedicated to the process and effort that’s needed to constantly compete at a high level. There’s a degree of difficulty when it comes to trying to play semi-pro and pro, which I’ve barely lived through from my experience in the High School Esports League. It’s a constant practice, having to keep your mental health above water, not getting too down on yourself when there isn’t much success, and keeping that passion burning of wanting to get better. It’s something that the average player has a lot of trouble dealing with, especially when they believe they can do so much better but somehow can’t.

So although this new league mode is coming, it just gives another opportunity for pros to climb back to the glory that they have had before. Through this league, people will see what separates a professional player from the above-average players who aspire to go pro. However, I still love that Valorant is giving this opportunity to the community, I believe that it’s a fun way for those who aspire to be pros to see where they stack up against those who dedicate their lives, to see where they can improve and get better at. And personally, maybe it’s time I get back in the saddle and see how far I can go.