Is Valorant coming to mobile? Everything we know so far

Could Valorant be shifting from our computer screens to our mobile phones? A wealth of evidence suggests a portable version of the popular FPS is in the works. Here are all the clues we have so far.

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We know Riot is keen on diversifying from producing PC games and moving into the world of consoles and mobile, as the development of League of Legends: Wild Rift has shown. However, that game was built from the ground up with mobile in mind.

Could Valorant be following in its footsteps? As Riot’s first foray into the FPS genre, the game is only currently available on PC. Of course, console players have been waiting patiently for news on their platforms ever since launch but could a mobile port be next on the agenda?

There are in fact, a number of strong hints suggesting Riot is at the very least considering a mobile version of future earth. With a potential release drawing near, here’s what we know.

Valorant mobile coding

Several data miners have found evidence of a mobile port hidden in the game files. ValorantExpress discovered device profiles for the iPhoneX and iPhoneXS within the 1.09 patch notes.

Meanwhile, ‘ValorantLeaks’ spotted what looks like combat coding. This suggests the idea of a mobile port of the main game, rather than just a companion to the PC version.

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While we’re yet to find concrete evidence that it would also be coded for android, it seems unlikely that Riot would make it an iOS exclusive.

Valorant mobile release date

While Riot is yet to even confirm the existence of a mobile port, leaks have hinted at a potential release date already. Valorant could be coming to mobile “this summer” according to a post shared by prominent leaker ‘PlayerIGN.’

This points towards a loose window of ‘June,’ according to the leaks. Not only that, but the post refers to the mobile version as ‘Grain.’ This could just be an internal codename for the developers, a foreign title, or a unique label to distinguish the mobile port.

https://twitter.com/PlayerIGN/status/1367012257926766594

Do take this information with a grain of salt for the time being, as Riot is yet to confirm any of these details. Though if the leaks hold true, a reveal could be right around the corner for Valorant’s mobile release.

Riot’s ambitions

Riot has made no secret about its desire to expand into console and mobile gaming. League of Legends: Wild Rift, a mobile and console version of LoL, is is one such example of these efforts.

Plus, Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent has shared his excitement about the potential of 5G and mobile gaming. Adding to a 5G discussion video for network provider Verizon, he said: “we’ll bring games on mobile we never would have considered before.”

Moreover, in an interview with USGamer about a Valorant console port, Riot’s Game Director Joe Ziegler said: “We have teams that are working on it right now.”

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It’s likely they’re still in the preliminary stages of development, however. Before they begin fully forming the game, Ziegler believes they should ask: “is the game even enjoyable on those platforms?”

Screenshots

Early into Valorant’s release, a HUD suited for mobile gaming accidentally slipped through the cracks. We see all kinds of unique inputs on-screen from jumping to equipping the knife, and of course, room for every ability thanks to a screenshot from Reddit user /bhristofer.

While this image might have been from an early version of the mobile port, this could be a look at how the game will function on handheld devices.

bhristofer (Reddit)

Porting Valorant over to mobile is no easy task, considering it was designed with the PC player in mind.

Riot’s priorities right now still lie in boosting the PC playerbase and establishing Valorant as a popular esport. But there’s plenty of evidence hinting towards a mobile version of Valorant arriving in the near future.