Valorant Mobile Nears China Launch with Riot and Lightspeed Partnership

After nearly four years of silence, Riot Games has finally announced that their tactical hero shooter, Valorant, is making its way to mobile devices. The development is being handled by Lightspeed Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent, Riot's parent company. While an exact release date remains elusive, Riot has confirmed that the game will first launch in China, with plans for a broader release to follow.

Valorant blends the strategic, precision-based gunplay of Counter-Strike with the unique agent abilities reminiscent of Overwatch. The core gameplay involves intense 13-round matches where teams of five compete in a 5v5 format, with each player having only one life per round. The addition of a defusal/planting objective adds a familiar layer of tension for fans of the genre.

The collaboration between Riot and Lightspeed is a natural fit, given their shared ownership under Tencent. This announcement comes as a relief to fans who have been eagerly awaiting any news on Valorant Mobile.

Given the dominance of Android in China, a multi-OS release seems almost certain. Riot has only shared that development is underway with Lightspeed and that the initial launch will be in China. While this suggests a global release is on the horizon, ongoing trade issues and the complexities of mobile gaming markets may delay a worldwide rollout.

As we await further details on the global release, fans with a passion for shooters don't have to sit idly by. Why not explore our curated list of the best shooters available on Android and iOS to keep your trigger finger sharp?

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