The VCT Ascended Team Bundles Are Here - Is It Worth It?

Riot’s latest VCT 2025 Ascended Team Capsules have dropped, spotlighting five newly promoted teams in Valorant's competitive scene. But instead of hype, the bundles are raising eyebrows.

Each comes with the same Classic skin template, minor branding tweaks, and a fresh card – but for many, the excitement just isn’t there. Let’s break down what’s in the bundle, what the players are saying, and whether it’s worth your investment, Let’s get into it

The New Bundles

This year’s bundles welcome five freshly promoted teams to the big leagues:

• 2Game Esports (Americas)
• Apeks (EMEA)
• Xi Lai Gaming (China)
• Nongshim Redforce and BOOM Esports (Pacific)

Like the partnered teams before them, these squads are getting their own capsules with:

• A team-themed Classic skin
• A 2025 Player Card with premium art
• A Gun Buddy and Spray
• An Achievement Tracker that flexes their milestones

Sounds cool on paper, right? But the reactions from the community were telling

Community Reactions

 

 

Most fans pointed out how the bundles felt like a let-down, with one suggesting “The bundles in general are so disappointing… imagine the Prelude skin with an orange flame to represent Fnatic or something.”

Alongside, the most common complaint was around the lack of variety and customization. Every team bundle still comes with a Classic, which feels like a weird rerun if you bought it last year. The only major changes are branding colors and a card refresh and even those just feel like a template made on a tuesday.

Many players also pointed out that, “There’s no reason for them not to have the bundles come in different guns. Like people don’t want two of the same Classic wtf”. While others delved deeper, trying to figure if it was a dev decision or just corporate cost-cutting.

Final Thoughts

Despite the backlash, there are reasons to consider supporting your favorite Ascended team, especially if you're a die-hard regional fan and want to show support for your team

Some players have brought forward the argument that seeing your Classic skin every round does make the purchase more visible in-game than a Frenzy or Shorty. Yet, does that make it worth the price? 

Riot should instead let the orgs have more liberty and creativity with their skins/weapons to make it feel more personal for the fans buying the bundles to support the org. With that said the 2025 Ascended Capsules are now live in the Esports Store and will be available throughout the season.

If you’re looking to support these rising squads and snag something to show your dedication, this could be your chance –  just don’t expect anything wildly different from what we saw last year.