Everything You Need to Know About Valorant and How to Get Closed Beta Access

Riot Games is best known for League of Legends. But like Blizzard before them, they understand the need to diversify what they offer to players. That’s why they are pouring time and energy into a new shooter named Valorant.

The game isn’t coming out until summer 2020, and much of it has been shrouded in mystery. Fortunately, we’ve got the full scoop on the most important aspects of this game and why it might end up redefining your summer.

A game by any other name

If you’re already a big fan of Riot Games, the name “Valorant” may be throwing you off. You’re probably asking, “wasn’t the company already working on another shooter with a different name?”

The answer is “yes and no.” In a stream last year, Riot Games referred to this game as Project A. Either that was a placeholder name or someone decided (rightfully so) that “Project A” sounded pretty boring.

Either way, the game was rechristened as Valorant. Let’s dive a little deeper into how it’s supposed to play.

Gameplay fusion

It’s easy for gamers to get a bit disillusioned about new releases. For example, Valorant bills itself as a character-based tactical shooter. But in a genre crowded with so many of these types of games, how can Valorant offer anything different to audiences?

The short answer is that it’s a fusion of multiple different game types. While “tactical shooter” calls to mind games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (especially with the missions that focus on one side trying to arm a bomb), Valorant’s characters (known as “Agents”) are a bit different. They each have special abilities, which calls to mind modern games like Overwatch or Apex: Legends.

Only time will tell if this ends up being a fun fusion of gameplay styles or a disaster waiting to happen.