Surprise! VALORANT is now available on console

Riot Games has pulled off a surprise attack by shadow-dropping VALORANT on consoles today. The tactical shooter is now live on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, bringing its intense gameplay to a wider audience.

After gathering invaluable player feedback during VALORANT’s beta testing on console over the last couple of months, Riot has been refining the game to ensure a smooth and competitive experience. But apparently, there wasn’t much to tweak because today, the developer launched a full console release that brings the core VALORANT experience to all console players across North America, Europe, Japan, and Brazil.

Arnar Gylfason, production director of VALORANT, expressed confidence in the console version in a press release, saying the beta period gave Riot valuable feedback to work on. “[We] feel confident to deliver on our gameplay promise for console players,” he wrote. “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.”

The news comes as a surprise given the fact VALORANT’s console journey was announced less than two months ago, just days after the game’s fourth anniversary during the 2024 Summer Game Fest. At the time, Riot confirmed a limited beta would commence on June 14, allowing players in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe, and Japan to get a first taste of the console experience.

While cross-play between PC and console remains off the table to maintain competitive integrity, Riot has emphasized its commitment to providing a unified experience for players on both platforms. All live patch balances, new agents, maps, premium content, and additional live service features will be released simultaneously on all platforms.

With this surprise console launch, Riot has undoubtedly expanded VALORANT’s reach, bringing the competitive, agent-based shooter to even more players. While the PC version has cultivated a dedicated and passionate fan base, however, the console landscape is fiercely competitive, and it’s unclear whether VALORANT can successfully lure players away from other established FPS franchises.