Following a quick Open Beta period, Riot Games has surprised fans by officially launching Valorant on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
Valorant Console is now available to players in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Brazil and promises to bring the "same uncompromising, competitive experience that we've provided PC players for years: a precise, team-based, tactical shooter."
As previously discussed, cross-play will not be available between PC and console players as Riot Games wishes to "maintain Valorant's renowned standard for competitive integrity." PlayStation and Xbox players will be able to play together, however.
While that may not be the best news for some, Riot Games has reassured fans that their Friends List, Collection (Skins, Player Cards, Gun Buddies, etc.), Battle Pass progress, and Agent unlocks will carry over. Furthermore, both PC and console players will "receive simultaneous platform releases of all live patch balances, new agents, maps, premium content, and additional live service features."
“We’ve received so much valuable feedback from players during Limited Beta, and feel confident to deliver on our gameplay promise for console player," Arnar Gylfason, production director of Valorant, said. "Whether it's hitting that perfect shot, executing a flawless team play, or wiping out the enemy team, we look forward to seeing console players experience the same gameplay thrill as VALORANT PC players.”
Valorant is free-to-play, but Xbox Game Pass members will be happy to know that all current and future Agents will be unlocked.
In our Valorant review for PC from 2020, we said, "Valorant is the most fun I've had with a multiplayer FPS since Valve's Team Fortress 2. The flexibility of its magically-infused cast paired with a deep arsenal makes for a magnificent competitive canvas, if a tricky one to initially pick up. I'm already pondering new strategies to pull off with my friends in the future, and that joyous daydreaming won't stop anytime soon."
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Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.
