Everything you need to know to get started planting, defusing and fragging.
Everything you need to know to get started planting, defusing and fragging.
After several years of being exclusive to PC platforms, Valorant is now available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
Valorant is a team-based tactical shooter from Riot Games, the studio behind League of Legends. “Tactical” means the game favors slower-paced, more deliberate gameplay based on positioning and ability usage — more Rainbow Six Siege than Call of Duty, though the closest comparison is Counter-Strike. But Valorant also features various agents with unique abilities, akin to Apex Legends and Overwatch.
In Valorant’s primary game mode, you play as an agent on a team of five players, facing off against an opposing team as you alternate planting or defusing the spike. There are quick modes called Spike Rush and Swift Play and other game modes such as free-for-all and team death match, which are great for warming up and practicing with different guns.
Each match takes place on one of several maps with different styles and layouts — from cramped monasteries to seaside ruins with long sightlines. One team starts as the attackers, with the goal of eliminating the enemy team and planting a bomb, known as the “spike.” The other team defends the map, attempting to wipe out the attackers before they can plant, and defusing the bomb if it does get planted. In Competitive and Unrated modes, teams switch sides after 12 rounds, and the first team to win 13 rounds wins the match — though Competitive mode requires teams to win by at least two rounds.
Players on PS5 and Xbox will get content and updates at the same time as PC players, including new agents, new maps and shop skins. However, Riot says that in order to maintain competitive integrity, there will not be cross-play between PC and console.
Valorant takes inspiration from a variety of games and blends them into a unique experience. The game is free to play, so it’s easy to get started. Here’s everything you need to know.How to unlock Valorant agents
When you first start the game, you’ll have access to five agents: Brimstone, Jett, Phoenix, Sage and Sova. All other agents will be locked at the start, and you’ll have to unlock them with Kingdom Credits, which you earn by playing games and completing daily missions. Agents cost 8,000 Kingdom Credits to unlock, and because you earn them through regular gameplay, every player can unlock every agent without spending a single dollar on the game.
