Valorant, the free-to-play shooter from Riot Games, launches today for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, following a recent open beta on consoles.
The game will not offer crossplay between its current PC version and consoles “to maintain Valorant’s renowned standard of competitive integrity,” Riot said.
In a press release published today, Riot at least promised that future updates to the game will be released simultaneously, so all additional maps and characters will arrive at the same time.
Today’s launch caps a four-year journey for Valorant from PC to consoles, after previously saying he wasn’t “entirely confident” the game was a good fit for consoles.
“Riot Games delivers a masterclass in competitive integrity, soulless precision, and zealous, all-consuming obsession,” wrote Chris Tapsell in Eurogamer’s 2020 Valorant review. “By design, Valorant is a stark, soulless, uncompromising experience. This is often to its detriment, but more often to its success.”
Valorant has repeatedly made headlines as Riot confronts toxic elements of the game's community. In May of this year, Valorant's studio head said toxic players should go “play something else, we won't miss you.” Riot Games boss Anna Donlon said, “If you want to make malicious statements under the guise of bullshit talk, you are not welcome here.”
On a more positive note, Riot’s Game Changers program for Valorant aimed to make the esports landscape more inclusive for women.