Riot Games Shares First Look At VALORANT Gameplay

Alpha gameplay footage was released of the upcoming Valorant, the 5v5 tactical shooter from Riot Games that will blend the barebones team-based firefights of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with the character-based powers of Overwatch.

The internal developer playtest reveals a glimpse of what players can expect when the game releases in the summer of 2020.

Here’s the game overview:

Imagine this: tactical shooter meets hypernatural powers. Everyone’s got guns and a unique set of abilities, so how do you beat someone with the speed of wind? Use your own moves to outplay them and beat them to the shot. Valorant is a game for bold strategists who dare to make the unexpected play, because if it wins, it works.

Riot Games wants to make Valorant accessible and successful from the beginning, and they’re devoting a lot of resources to ensure that the game reaches the broadest possible audience at the highest quality possible.

The developer wants to provide 128-tick servers; at least 30 FPS on most computers and between 60 to 144 FPS on modern gaming rigs; widespread datacenters to reduce latency below 35ms for players in major cities; as well as a stringent policy against cheating.

That’s a lot to promise, so we’ll see if Riot Games can deliver, but the gameplay is intriguing. With the rapid rise of esports competitions and professional gaming, it’s possible that Valorant can take advantage of that momentum.

What are your first thoughts after watching the alpha gameplay footage? Are you intrigued by what Valorant has to offer?