After years of rumors and speculation, Valorant has finally arrived on console. Riot Games has announced that the free-to-play hero shooter will release on PS5 and Xbox Series
According to a press release sent after the announcement, the PS5 and Xbox versions of Valorant will feature “tailored gameplay” designed to meet the needs of core competitive play. With that in mind, Valorant will not feature cross-play between PC and console. Instead, Valorant will offer a “connected, shared inventory” and cross-progression between accounts.
Riot is also promising simultaneous cross-platform releases of all live patch credits, new agents, maps, premium content, and other features.
“When exploring the possibility of bringing Valorant to additional platforms, we knew we had to be able to deliver the same uncompromising competitive experience we’ve offered PC players for years: a precise, team-based tactical shooter,” production manager Arnar Gylfason said in the statement. .
“We were determined that Valorant’s core competitive gameplay should feel natural on console; and — if we couldn’t deliver on that promise of play — we had to be prepared to move away from it. We hope we succeeded in achieving that, but in the end “Our players will have the final say.”
Gylfason explained more about how console players can expect from the PC version, “In order to provide the same PC experience, where the shooter mode is the primary shooting mode and [aiming down sights] “It’s a supportive secondary mode, we tried multiple adjustments and gamepad sensitivities.”
“Focus is a new shooting mode that basically acts like shooting, but with lower sensitivity. This way, players can use shooting when they need to be quick to move the camera/aim (peek around corners, dodge tool), but with the benefit of From focus mode whenever they need precision (getting those great headshots), this also brings the shooting mechanic closer to what console players are used to in shooters, all without losing the added value that Valorant’s scope provides.
Valorant was first released in 2020 and has remained an enduringly popular hero shooter ever since. We wrote in our original review, “Valorant is the most fun I’ve had with a multiplayer FPS since Valve’s Team Fortress 2. The flexibility of its magic-filled staff coupled with a deep arsenal makes for a great competitive board, even if it’s tough.” One to pick up at first.”
However, amid its popularity, Valorant has suffered from player toxicity, prompting studio head Anna Donlon recently to say that Riot “absolutely needs to do better” in protecting its players.
Valorant’s limited beta is scheduled to begin in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, and Japan on June 14, with a rollout to additional regions shortly after. You can Sign up for the trial version here. In the meantime, this weekend’s events continue, and you can check out all the remaining announcements from Summer Game Fest here.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s news director and co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Do you have any advice? Send her a direct message at @the_katbot.
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