Masters London is finally underway, and the good news is you do not have to win anything to walk away with loot. Riot is giving out free in-game rewards just for showing up to the broadcast.
The event runs June 6 to 21 at the Copper Box Arena, the first time a global VALORANT tournament has ever landed in the UK. Twelve teams, a $1 million prize pool, and a pile of free cosmetics on the line for viewers. There are three ways to earn while you watch, and they barely overlap, so it is worth knowing how each one works before the matches eat your whole weekend.
Just watching gets you Drops
This is the lazy option, and there is no shame in it. Tune into the live broadcast with a linked Riot account and you pick up rewards without lifting a finger.
The headline item is the “Gutted” title, unlocked by catching any live match between June 6 and 21. That is the whole requirement. Watch one map, claim a title.
To get Drops working, link your Riot account to wherever you are watching before you start. If you watched Masters Santiago earlier this year, your account is probably already set up and you are good to go.
Shotcall is where the effort pays off
If passive watching feels too easy, Shotcall is the interactive layer. It runs on Twitch, desktop only, through the official VCT broadcast, and it lets you predict maps, rounds, and key moments live while the game is happening. Correct calls earn points, and points climb the leaderboard.
There are two rewards tied to it. Rack up 100 points across the course of Masters London and you earn the “Rubbish” reward. Place in the top 5% of any single game during the tournament and you unlock the “Party of 1” spray. The spray is the tougher grab of the two, since finishing top 5% in even one lobby means actually reading the game well, not just clicking buttons.
One catch worth repeating: Shotcall is desktop Twitch only. No mobile, no YouTube. If you have been watching on your phone, you will need to move to a computer for this one.
Pick’Ems is the bracket game, and it is back
The other returning feature is Pick’Ems powered by AWS, and this is the one for people who think they can read a bracket better than their friends.
The idea is simple. Predict the results of each match. Every correct call banks points, and the more you nail, the higher you climb. You can make picks in the VALORANT client or at valorantesports.com/pickems. With twelve teams in the field, there is plenty of room for a chaotic call to age into a genius one by the end.
The timing matters here, because the windows lock fast:
- Swiss Stage Pick’Ems opened May 27 at 9:00 AM PT and lock June 6 at 8:00 AM PT, right as Groups begin.
- Playoffs Pick’Ems open June 10 after the draw is set, estimated around 6:00 PM PT, and lock June 12 at 8:00 AM PT when Playoffs start.
Miss the lock and you are out for that stage, so set a reminder if you are the type who forgets.
The rewards scale with how well you do. Everyone who makes at least their first picks gets the “Bossman” title. Land in the top 50% and you earn the “REF?!?” buddy. Crack the top 20% and it upgrades to the golden version. And if you somehow go a perfect 100% on your picks, you get the ultra-rare “100%” title, which is the kind of flex that does not come around often.
A quick eligibility note
Pick’Ems is available in most regions, but not all. Riot lists a handful of excluded territories, including China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, Venezuela, Myanmar, Quebec, and a few others, plus anywhere local rules void the offer. Reward eligibility can also shift by region depending on local regulations, so your mileage may vary depending on where you are logging in from.
Why this Masters matters for India
There is an extra reason for Indian fans to be glued to this one. Global Esports are at Masters London as the first Indian organisation in VCT history to reach a Masters event. After three years grinding through VCT Pacific without an international LAN, they finally broke through in Stage 1. Watching them on the global stage, while also farming free Drops, is not a bad way to spend June.
Where to watch
All the action streams through the official VALORANT Esports channels, with Twitch being the place to be if you want Shotcall in the mix. The VCT YouTube channel carries the broadcast too, though remember Shotcall will not work there.
Make your picks, link your account, and pick a screen. London is not waiting around, and neither are those Pick’Ems lock times. For the full team list and bracket, TalkEsport’s Masters London qualified teams rundown has you covered.
