Valorant Coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S This Year

Riot Games has officially announced that their popular free-to-play shooter, Valorant, will finally be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S this year. Console players eager to try out the game won't have to wait long. After years of rumors, the news was confirmed during the Summer Game Fest ceremony.

Valorant's Journey and Popularity

Since its release in 2020, Valorant has rapidly climbed the ranks among competitive first-person hero shooters. Its free-to-play model, extensive character roster, and intriguing lore have helped it build a large fanbase, although it has been exclusive to PC. This is set to change with the upcoming console ports.

Official Announcement and Beta Details

At the Summer Game Fest, Valorant's executive producer Andy Ho and production director Arnar Gylfason revealed that the game will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year. Additionally, a limited beta will begin on June 14 at 1 PM PT. Players interested in joining the beta can sign up on the official Valorant website, though it will initially be available only in select regions: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, and Japan. Riot mentioned that the beta might expand to other regions shortly after, though no specific timeline was provided.

Console Optimization and Features

Riot has ensured that the core Valorant experience on consoles will match the PC version in terms of content and balance updates. However, crossplay will be disabled due to the precision differences between controllers and keyboard/mouse setups. Cross-progression will be supported, allowing players to transfer their profiles between PC and consoles.

While a mobile port for Valorant is reportedly in development, no updates have been provided on its progress.

Anticipation and Community Impact

As Valorant prepares to transition from a PC-exclusive to a console game, it will be interesting to see how console players adapt to its unique gameplay. Competitive hero shooters like Overwatch have been successful on consoles for years, but Valorant's control scheme and gunplay are designed with PC in mind. Riot has emphasized their commitment to making the gameplay feel "natural" on controllers, and stated that they would have abandoned the console versions if this balance couldn't be achieved.

Toggling crossplay off for console players may prove beneficial, especially given recent updates aimed at reducing toxic behavior in the game. This careful approach to gameplay and community management will be crucial as Valorant enters the console market.