Finally, after a long wait, we got concrete details on Riot Games’ wildly popular tactical shooter, Valorant Mobile.
On June 5, 2024, the Chinese Regulator – NPPA released an updated list of Western games (Waizi licenses) approved for launch in the country.
Surprisingly the list includes – “Valorant: Operation Primal” as a “mobile title.”
This revelation comes just days before the Valorant Masters Shanghai, intensifies speculation about an upcoming launch.
Valorant Masters Shanghai started on May, 23rd and is about to conclude on June, 9th.
As Riot Game is known for announcing major updates about their upcoming games and updates at the Valorant Masters, we may anticipate a major announcement about Valorant Mobile at the finale.
China Approval – A Step in the Right Direction
This regulatory green light from the NPPA, which oversees and regulates China’s video games sector, is a significant milestone for the game’s development.
But what does this mean for the global launch? Well, it’s important to note that Valorant’s PC version took a considerable amount of time to reach China after its initial global release.
The PC version launched globally on June 2, 2020, but it wasn’t until July 12, 2023 – a whopping three years later – that it made its way to China.
So, while the NPPA’s approval is undoubtedly a positive step forward, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee an imminent global launch for Valorant Mobile.
Perhaps Riot Games sought approval from one of the largest gaming markets before the game’s final release to avoid the hurdle they faced during their PC launch.
What’s the Next Step for a Valorant Mobile Launch?
During an interview at Masters Madrid three months ago, Anna Donlon, the head of Valorant at Riot Games, confirmed that the game is still under active development, with early playtesting already underway.
However, she also mentioned that a more substantial update on the game’s progress and potential release timeline would be provided later in 2024.
This suggests that while the game is progressing steadily, Riot Games is taking a cautious approach to ensure a polished and stable experience for players upon launch.
If a near-final version has been submitted for approval in China, it’s likely that a playable version exists too.
So one of the most reliable indicators of this approval could be the alpha or beta test for China or Asia region.
These testing phases would allow the developers to gather valuable feedback from players, iron out any remaining issues, and make necessary adjustments before the final release.
Here’s a potential outlook:
- Public alpha/beta testing announced and begins: Late 2024
- Alpha/beta feedback integration and polish: Early 2025
- Global launch: Mid-2025
What to Expect from Valorant Mobile?
While details about Valorant Mobile’s specific features and gameplay mechanics are still scarce, it’s safe to assume that the mobile version will closely resemble its PC counterpart in terms of core gameplay experience.
Players can expect the same fast-paced, tactical gameplay that has made Valorant a hit among competitive gamers.
However, it’s likely that Riot Games will implement various optimizations and adaptations to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience on mobile devices.
This could include streamlined controls tailored for touch screens, adjustments to graphics and performance settings, and potentially even mobile-exclusive features or game modes.
One aspect that Riot Games has excelled at is creating a diverse and engaging roster of Agents, each with their unique abilities and playstyles.
It will be interesting to see if the mobile version will launch with the complete roster from the PC version or if the roster will be introduced gradually over time.
Source: Forbes
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