Valorant launches with a new map, mode and Agent this June
Free for all
If you're like me, you'll have been eyeing up Valorant with some curiosity - interested, yet never quite getting around to lurking streams for beta access. It'll come as good news, then, that Riot are about to open the floodgates to their superpowered tactical shooter, resetting accounts and shutting off servers next Thursday ahead of a full release on June 2nd.
In a video posted earlier today, Riot producer Anna Donlon and game director Joe Ziegler regretfully informed fans that Valorant won't release in the next few months - because it's arriving in just under two weeks, releasing in full on June 2nd. Nice fake-out, guys.
That news probably comes as a relief to the folks still idling Twitch streams in an attempt to get into the Valorant Closed Beta. That beta will finish a little earlier, wrapping up on May 28th. On release, Valorant will arrive with a new Agent and map, plus an additional game mode and other unspecified game additions. Riot will also roll out more servers across the US and Europe to help cope with what's likely to be a substantial increase in player counts.
Riot are keen on Valorant something that lasts for "decades" to come. With League Of Legends crossing the ten-year threshold last year, it's not too hard to believe, either. But there are lasting concerns that may need to be addressed if Valorant is to stick it out for the next decade - whether that's assuring fans Valorant's anti-cheat tools aren't a danger to the broader fight against sexual harassment in voice chat.
These are issues Riot raise in a blog post looking back at the closed beta. While they reckon the beta went off well enough, Riot noted that they could be doing better on a few fronts. The closed beta went by without their auto-banning system in place, for one, and the team outlined plans for a more robust reporting system for unruly teammates.
Current beta players will have their accounts reset on release, starting back at square one with the rest of us come June 2nd. Granted, they're still coming in with months of experience in actually playing Valorant, so won't quite be a completely clean slate. Unfortunately, you can't reset good aim. But if you're a new player looking for a leg-up on other arrivals, our Valorant characters guide should be your first port of call before jumping into Riot's high-stakes arena.