Riot Games has asked professional players competing in the Valorant Champions tournament in Shanghai, China, to switch from wireless to wired mice after custom metal desks reportedly interfered with device signals and disrupted matches. The announcement came amid a series of technical glitches that Riot acknowledged caused multiple tech pauses during what it described as “our most important tournament of the year,” prompting an urgent request for competitors to adapt their equipment before further problems arise.
The Valorant Champions event, one of the biggest tournaments in the competitive calendar, has been marred by connectivity issues tied directly to the hardware setup provided at the venue. Riot’s custom-built metal desks, designed specifically for the tournament, are believed to be interfering with wireless signals from players’ mice, creating an unprecedented situation that forced organizers to intervene and ask competitors to change their gear mid-event.
A Match Disrupted by Technical Failure
The issue came into sharp focus during a matchup between FUT Esports and 100 Thieves, where player xeus experienced a malfunction in which his mouse was unable to fire. The technical disruption forced an official evaluation of the affected round. Riot later confirmed that its own post-game assessment had determined a rollback should have been granted.
“Following an official post-game evaluation, we concluded that a round rollback should have been allowed. We take responsibility for that error.” Riot also stated: “After considering the available options, we have decided that the match result will stand, as other options would result in overturning a victory by a team that competed under the same conditions and was not responsible for the error.”
Riot Games
The studio ultimately chose to let the final scorestand despite admitting fault. FUT lost the match two-to-zero, but Riot reasoned that overturning the result would unfairly penalize a team that had competed under identical conditions and bore no responsibility for the technical failure.
Why Wireless Mice Are Being Replaced
Riot believes the material choice behind its custom desks is likely at the heart of the interference problem. For most players, the immediate solution involves simply using their existing wireless mouse in wired mode via a USB connection. However, this workaround presents complications for competitors whose mice lack USB Type-C ports, forcing them to swap devices altogether.
Swapping to an entirely different mouse at the highest level of play introduces its own set of challenges. Players must adjust to unfamiliar shape, weight, and feel—subtle differences that can meaningfully affect performance when precision matters most. Even those who keep their original mice face a new variable: being tethered to their rig by a cable adds resistance during movement, potentially forcing competitors to make minor adjustments to how they play.
The situation underscores why wireless mice have become so popular among competitive players in the first place. Free from the constraints of a cable, athletes can move freely without factoring in the pull of a tether as they sweep their arms across the desk. Modern polling rates now allow wireless devices to match wired models for responsiveness, making them an attractive option for those seeking maximum performance.
Looking Ahead
Riot has indicated it is working to resolve the underlying issue but asked all players to continue using wired mice until a permanent fix can be implemented. The studio acknowledged that regardless of how quickly the problem is addressed, the disruption represents a significant setback for competitors who had prepared extensively for one of the year’s marquee events.
As the tournament continues, many professionals may find themselves carrying spare USB cables to future competitions as a precaution against similar hardware failures. For now, the Valorant Champions event in Shanghai stands as an unusual reminder that even at the pinnacle of competitive gaming, environmental factors and equipment choices can conspire to test players on more than just their skill alone.
1 comment