VALORANT Champions Tour partnered teams will be receiving weapon skins but they’ll most likely be variant based, according to well-known data miner ValorLeaks.
ValorLeaks claims that partnered team skins are in fact coming. There was talk of team skins back when the league was first revealed by Riot Games last year. Since then, there has been no official confirmation from Riot but leaks suggest they are going to be included. Other major esports like Call of Duty, Halo, and Overwatch all include team-based skins for the orgs or franchises that are signed as the “main” or “partnered” teams for the respective titles.
While VCT skins may be coming, the way that they will be added to the game might not be what fans had in mind. Other titles sell the skins separately, allowing players to select what teams they want to support. But for the VCT, the weapon skins will likely be variant based instead of individual skin bundles, according to ValorLeaks. This would mean that players would purchase one weapon skin and be able to purchase variants for the teams they want to represent in-game. Weapon variants can currently be unlocked using Radianite, which can be obtained through the battle pass or purchased directly.
It’s unclear if these partnered skins will come complete with player cards and gun buddies as well. VALORANT always includes player cards and gun buddies with bundles when they first appear in the shop. These are exclusive to the bundle itself and cannot be earned once that bundle leaves the shop. If variants are the way Riot has decided to go with these VCT skins, there may not be these extras added on.
ValorLeaks says the weapon skins should be coming in the next couple of months, but Riot has still neither confirmed nor denied this.