After nearly four years of anticipation, Riot Games has officially announced that their popular tactical hero shooter, Valorant, is set to make its way to mobile devices. The development is being handled by Tencent's Lightspeed Studios, and while a specific release date is still under wraps, the initial launch is planned for China, with a broader global rollout expected to follow.
Valorant, which blends the tactical gunplay of Counter-Strike with the unique agent abilities reminiscent of Overwatch, offers an engaging 13-round 5v5 match format. In each round, players have just one life, adding to the game's intensity, and the objective often involves planting or defusing a bomb, a mechanic familiar to fans of Counter-Strike.
The collaboration between Riot and Lightspeed Studios comes as no surprise, given their mutual ownership by Tencent. However, this official confirmation is a welcome update following the long silence on the Valorant Mobile front.
Given the widespread use of Android devices in China, it's highly likely that Valorant Mobile will be available across multiple operating systems. Riot has only confirmed that development is underway with Lightspeed and that the strategy includes a China-first release. This news hints at a future global release, though current trade issues, particularly affecting smartphones essential for mobile gaming, may delay announcements about an international launch.
While we await more details on the worldwide availability of Valorant Mobile, fans eager for action don't need to limit themselves to non-shooter genres. Check out our curated list of the best shooters available on Android and iOS to keep your trigger finger sharp until Valorant arrives on your mobile device.
