Riot Games has announced the addition of another stage at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin. The ‘Studio Stage’ will accommodate VCT EMEA Stage 2, allowing VCT and LEC to run concurrently in a dual-stage configuration.
The ‘Studio Stage’ will supplement the existing ‘Arena Stage’ to prevent clashes between the European Valorant and League of Legends ecosystems, allowing both leagues to operate in the same venue.
Studio Stage to adapt to VCT EMEA Stage 2 demands
The addition of the Studio Stage comes as VCT EMEA Stage 2 prepares to welcome four teams from the Tier 2 Valorant Challenger League (VCL) circuit, increasing the total teams in the split to 16.
The larger team list means an increased scheduling burden for VCT EMEA, with Riot opting to create the second stage to allow for weekend matches in the VCT.
The Studio Stage will act as the place of competition for VCT EMEA Stage 2 until it reaches the playoffs. The first week of the playoffs will then be held at the Arena Stage, before the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals are held in Barcelona.
In contrast to the Arena Stage, the Studio Stage cannot accommodate live fans. Riot Games acknowledged the lack of fans at the Studio Stage as a detriment, but claimed that the move will benefit later in-person events.
Riot stated, “We know live audiences are a big part of what makes the Riot Games Arena special, and that some fans will be disappointed not to attend the Studio Stage matches in person. At the same time, creating a dedicated broadcast space ensures fans won’t miss a minute online, while allowing us to increase live event investment across both products.”
Riot Games pointed to the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals in Barcelona as a beneficiary of the move, stating, “Most notably, this unlocks a major step forward for VCT EMEA – taking Finals on the road for the first time, with Stage 2 Finals heading to Barcelona. Alongside continued support for much-loved LEC Roadtrips, these investments will help us reach significantly more fans in person across the region.”
Could the second stage at the Riot Games Berlin Studio help the LEC?
While the second stage is due to accommodate an enlarged VCT split, even in its usual 12-team configuration, fans have been critical of the time VCT takes in reference to the League of Legends ecosystem.
As the two leagues have had to run at separate times from one another, Western League of Legends fans have been critical of the inability of the LEC to expand the number of officials European teams play each year, which severely lags behind League of Legends’ dominant leagues, the Korean LCK and the Chinese LPL.
So while the news ostensibly pertains to VCT EMEA, one wonders whether it will be the LEC that truly benefits as 2026 becomes 2027.
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Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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