Fortress, Touch Launch Oceania Route to VCT Pacific LCQ

Fortress and Touch, supported by Riot Games, have launched an Oceania grassroots pathway that sends eight teams to an Oceanic Regional Final with a place at the VCT Pacific Last Chance Qualifier on the line. The pathway uses three routes: Premier play, an online open qualifier and two city LAN events.

Premier qualifying awards spots to the top two teams from Act 1 and the top two teams from Act 2. The Online Open Qualifier is a 64-team, best-of-3 single-elimination bracket scheduled for May 23–24; registration opens May 5 and online entry is free. Fortress Grassroots LAN Qualifiers will run in Sydney and Melbourne on June 6–7; each city will host 16 teams, use group play feeding into single-elimination playoffs, and send one city winner to the Regional Final. Each LAN carries a $4,000 prize pool and a $60 per-player entry fee; LAN sign-ups open May 21.

The Oceanic Regional Final will feature eight teams across June 13–14 and June 20–21. The event winner advances to the Pacific Last Chance Qualifier, where four teams will qualify for VCT Pacific Stage 2 Play-Ins.

Fortress has indicated the eligible player pool covers Pacific nations beyond Australia and New Zealand. Passport and travel requirements for any eventual LCQ trip may affect which rosters can attend.

Organizers have published the core schedule and formats but have not released full competitive operations details. Roster lock timing, substitution rules and seeding procedures across the three routes remain to be confirmed. Organizers said a full rulebook, broadcast plans and final scheduling for the Pacific LCQ will be published ahead of the events.

Immediate actions for teams are to register for the Online Open once registration opens on May 5 and to sign up for the LAN qualifiers after sign-ups begin on May 21. Teams will need the remaining operational details to finalise lineups and travel plans.