VCT Pacific’s Korea-centric problem is real, and Riot knows it

Category: Riot Games' own league head has publicly acknowledged a regional imbalance in VCT Pacific, and the next partnership cycle could look very different. | Published: Sep 1, 2026 04:07 am VCT Pacific head Jake Sin admitted last week that the league has built an unintentional structural bias toward South Korea – and pledged to make inclusivity a central priority in the next partnership cycle. The acknowledgment validates concerns that players and fans across Japan, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and beyond have raised throughout the first cycle of the league's existence. "We've admittedly created an unintentional imbalance over the last few years (in exchange for operational stability) that I will be on a mission to address," Sin wrote. He added a direct message to the wider Pacific community: "For those worried, rest assured that I am committed to making it more inclusive than it ever was." How the imbalance developed VCT Pacific launched as one of the most structurally complex leagues in all of VALORANT esports. Unlike EMEA or Americas, VCT Pacific doesn't represent one coherent competitive region. It pulls together South Korea, Japan (which missed out on LoL Worlds for the first time in a decade), Southeast Asia, Oceania, Vietnam and more – each with its own distinct fanbases and infrastructure. Five of the league's 12 teams are Korean, though, which means they account for roughly 42% of the partnership roster. Hosting the majority of events in South Korea has skewed the dynamic even more, with Korean rosters gaining the upper hand in a number of areas. They’re more familiar with the local venues, broadcast setups, and the broader competitive culture than everyone else. The perception is forming that the league skews Korean by default rather than by competitive merit alone. The situation has even attracted the attention of parody accounts on X, who claimed with humor that Riot Games threatened to sub VCT China for VCT Korea. BREAKING: After another poor performance at internationals, Riot Games has announced plans to remove VCT China and replace it with VCT Korea. pic.twitter.com/tAuPJueoP4— VCT Centel (@TheVCTCentel) March 4, 2026 Competitive integrity complaints added fuel to the fire During the 2026 Kickoff, multiple VCT Pacific players went public with allegations that Korean teams received preferential treatment from event staff. Hector 'FrosT' Rosario and Maksim 'Jemkin' Batorov were among those who raised concerns, pointing to specific incidents including T1 players being permitted to smoke in tournament bathrooms and Gen.G's Lakia wearing his headset incorrectly without receiving a warning or a penalty. Riot investigated and confirmed some of the allegations. The outcome was written warnings for multiple players and teams but – crucially – no one received a competitive ban. The episode highlighted favoritism or bias, and it also fed into a broader narrative that teams outside Korea were operating under different standards – whether or not that was Riot's intent. What Riot is actually changing The 2026 Stage 2 Finals returned to Busan – much to Sin’s disappointment Sin’s comments didn’t include any ideas that could change the situation but his framing points toward two levers Riot has already begun pulling. Staging the 2025 Stage 1 Finals in Japan and the 2026 Stage 1 Finals in Vietnam were deliberate attempts to move the league's footprint around the region. The 2026 Stage 2 Finals returned to Busan, though, a decision Sin himself described as a disappointment. The upcoming partnership cycle appears to be where we might see some real structural changes. Sin's commitment to addressing the imbalance "during the upcoming partnership cycle" suggests the makeup of partnered teams, not just event locations, could shift. Whether that means expanding the roster of non-Korean partner organizations or redesigning the play-in pathway for tier-2 teams from underrepresented regions remains to be confirmed. Ultimately, Sin's willingness to call out the imbalance publicly is a step in the right direction. It’s unusual (League heads rarely volunteer self-criticism this directly) but it’s exactly what the competition needs if it’s to swerve accusations of bias and favoritism. The harder test is whether the next partnership cycle actually reflects any sort of desire and commitment to change, or whether operational convenience wins again. The next VCT Pacific partnership cycle, and whatever format changes accompany it, will be the real measure of whether Sin's pledge lands as policy or stays as sentiment. Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy