Champions Shanghai 2026 Pick’Ems are already open and have two decision windows: the Group Stage and the playoffs. For players following from Brazil, the key point is not to confuse the match start date with the actual prediction lock time. Riot says Group Stage picks lock on September 24 at approximately 6:10 AM Brasília time, around 10 minutes after the first Champions Shanghai match begins. The Pick’Ems then reopen on October 4, after the Draw Show confirms the playoff matchups, and lock again on October 7 at approximately 6:10 AM Brasília time.
The rewards also need to be separated clearly: there are two Gun Buddies, tied to the top 50% and top 20% tiers. Participation earns the “Calculated” Title, while perfect Pick’Ems earn the “100%” Title. Riot states that rewards are cumulative. The dates and reward tiers below come from the official Champions Shanghai Pick’Ems announcement; the Brasília conversions use the Pacific Time listed by Riot for the event dates.
Action, Brasília deadline, and reward
| Action or performance | Deadline/condition | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Make and save Group Stage picks | By September 24, around 6:10 AM Brasília time | Counts as participation for the “Calculated” Title |
| Make playoff picks | Reopens October 4 after the Draw Show; locks October 7 around 6:10 AM Brasília time | Keeps you active in the final prediction phase and eligible to chase performance tiers |
| Finish in the top 50% | Relative placement at the end of the competition | Stone of Heaven Gun Buddy |
| Finish in the top 20% | Relative placement at the end of the competition | Pick’Ems Master: Stone of Heaven Gun Buddy + lower-tier rewards |
| Get perfect Pick’Ems | “Perfect Picks” as defined by Riot | “100%” Title + any lower-tier rewards also achieved |
How to enter Champions Shanghai Pick’Ems
Riot lets players submit predictions in three places: the VALORANT client, Riot Mobile, and the VALORANT Esports Pick’Ems page. Champions Shanghai is the first event to bring Pick’Ems to Riot Mobile, where players can also track predictions and receive reminders before picks close.
- Sign in with a valid Riot Account.
- Open Pick’Ems on the website, in the VALORANT client, or in Riot Mobile.
- Complete the available Group Stage predictions before they lock.
- After October 4, return once the Draw Show ends and the playoff matchups are confirmed.
- Save your playoff predictions before the second lock on October 7.
The official Champions Shanghai schedule runs the Group Stage from September 24 through October 4 and the playoffs from October 7 through October 18. That is why Pick’Ems are split into two windows: the playoff bracket cannot be filled out until the eight advancing teams and their draw are known.
When Group Stage picks lock
Pick’Ems opened on September 10. On the web, they opened at 7:00 AM PT, equivalent to 11:00 AM in Brasília; in the VALORANT client, they opened at 8:00 AM PT, equivalent to noon in Brasília. For anyone who still needs to submit picks, the critical time is September 24 at approximately 6:10 AM BRT.
Riot describes that cutoff as roughly 10 minutes after the first Champions Shanghai match begins. Because the time is approximate, it is safer to treat the start of the first series as the practical deadline rather than relying on the extra 10 minutes to make last-second edits.
When playoff Pick’Ems reopen
Once the Group Stage ends on October 4, Riot will hold the Draw Show and confirm the playoff matchups. Playoff Pick’Ems become available only after that process. The announcement does not provide a fixed Brasília clock time for reopening; it ties availability to the completion of the draw.
The second window closes on October 7 at approximately 6:10 AM Brasília time, again around 10 minutes after the first playoff match starts. A player who makes Group Stage picks but forgets to return after the draw loses the chance to submit a playoff bracket and, in practical terms, reduces the opportunity to reach the higher leaderboard tiers.
What you need to do to earn each Gun Buddy
Stone of Heaven Gun Buddy: finish in the top 50%
The first Gun Buddy goes to players who finish among the top 50% of Pick’Ems participants. Riot has not published a fixed points cutoff for this reward in its announcement. There is therefore no official number of correct picks that guarantees the item in advance; the threshold depends on the community’s relative performance.
Pick’Ems Master: Stone of Heaven Gun Buddy: finish in the top 20%
The second Gun Buddy requires a higher placement: top 20%. It is a separate reward called the “Pick’Ems Master: Stone of Heaven Gun Buddy.” Because rewards are cumulative, a top-20% finisher also receives the top-50% Gun Buddy and the participation reward.
Perfect picks do not award a third Gun Buddy
“Perfect Picks” is listed as the highest achievement tier, but its specific reward is the “100%” Title. The correct breakdown is therefore two performance-based Gun Buddies and two Titles: one for participation and one for perfection. A player with perfect picks who also falls within the top 20% and top 50% naturally receives those rewards under the cumulative system.
Rewards are cumulative
The cumulative rule means players do not have to choose between the top-50% and top-20% rewards. Riot explicitly uses the top 20% as its example: reaching that tier also grants the top-50% and participation rewards.
- Participation: “Calculated” Title.
- Top 50%: Stone of Heaven Gun Buddy + participation reward.
- Top 20%: Pick’Ems Master: Stone of Heaven Gun Buddy + top-50% Gun Buddy + participation reward.
- Perfect Picks: “100%” Title, plus any performance-tier rewards also achieved.
Who is eligible
Pick’Ems require a valid Riot Account. Riot says the promotion is available in most regions but lists exceptions including Cuba, North Korea, Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Myanmar, as well as regions where VALORANT is published by a local publisher such as China, or anywhere the offer is void. Prize and reward eligibility may also vary under local regulations.
Deadline checklist
- Sign in with the Riot Account you want to use to receive rewards.
- Save Group Stage picks before September 24 at 6:10 AM Brasília time instead of relying on the 10-minute post-start buffer.
- On October 4, follow the Draw Show and return to Pick’Ems when the playoff bracket becomes available.
- Finish playoff picks before October 7 at 6:10 AM Brasília time.
- Do not look for a fixed “magic number” of points for the Gun Buddies: the rewards are based on percentile placement, and Riot has not announced a fixed points cutoff.
In short, entering is straightforward; the main challenge is remembering the second prediction window and understanding that the Gun Buddies depend on relative placement. The first target is finishing in the upper half of the leaderboard, and the second is making the top 20%. A perfect run adds the “100%” Title to the rewards earned.
