Riot Games’ first-person tactical shooter, Valorant, is finally making its way into China, which opens the doorway to potentially millions of new players. The game is set to hit the region later in the Summer. For the longest time, Valorant wasn’t allowed to release in China because of the country’s strict laws, but it was approved months ago and is now making its big debut. Riot Games will be hoping it makes a big splash once it officially launches in China, with planned events and tournaments. Not least because the Chinese build of Valorant will be debuting a much-requested replay function that allows players to rewatch their matches in-game and perfect their gameplay.
When Will Valorant Launch in China?
Riot Games got the green light to release Valorant in China in December 2022 from their parent company, Tencent. The company then held an event in Shanghai, confirming that the game will launch in China on July 12. Riot Games’ President of Esports, John Needham, made the announcement in Shanghai himself.
Valorant will launch in China with 16 Agents and four maps. There are currently 23 Agents in Valorant in other countries, with Deadlock just released on June 27. Presumably, the other Agents in the game will eventually be added over time.
On the flip side, Chinese servers will give players access to a new exclusive weapon called the Tai Chi Fan. The Tai Chi Fan is a melee weapon and a built-in recording tool. There will also be an official offline event for Valorant in China during the Summer. Starting on July 3, the 12 best Chinese teams will compete in Shanghai in the qualifiers for the Valorant Champions 2023. The qualifiers will last until July 16.
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Valorant Console Playtest Is Starting Soon, Job Advert Confirms
A recent job listing from Riot Games hints that the title will finally make its way onto consoles in the somewhat near future. At the time of this writing, Valorant is only available on PC. The Valorant Premier Beta is also reportedly coming back in July.