Riot partners with Lightspeed for Valorant Mobile in China

After nearly four years of anticipation, Riot Games has finally broken its silence and announced that its tactical hero shooter, Valorant, is set to make its way to mobile devices. The development of the mobile version will be spearheaded by Lightspeed Studios, a Tencent-owned entity. While an exact release date remains elusive, the initial rollout will begin in China, with plans for a broader global launch to follow.

Valorant, often described as a blend of Counter-Strike and Overwatch, captivates players with its precise, tactical gunplay and unique agent abilities. The game's core mode features a 13-round 5v5 match format, where each player gets one life per round. This setup is enhanced by objectives such as bomb planting and defusal, elements that will be familiar to fans of Counter-Strike.

The collaboration between Riot Games and Lightspeed Studios comes as no surprise, given that both companies are under the Tencent umbrella. This official announcement is a much-needed update for fans who have been eagerly awaiting news on Valorant Mobile.

ValorousGiven the dominance of Android in the Chinese market, a multi-OS release seems all but assured. However, beyond Riot's confirmation of development with Lightspeed and the initial China-first strategy, details remain sparse.

This announcement does, however, signal Riot's intent for a global release. Yet, with ongoing trade issues impacting the smartphone industry, which is critical for mobile gaming, it may take some time before Riot, Lightspeed, and Tencent feel ready to announce a definitive worldwide release date for Valorant on mobile.

In the interim, if you're eager to keep your gaming skills sharp, don't limit yourself to puzzle or cooking simulation games. Instead, explore our curated list of the best shooters available for Android and iOS to keep your trigger finger ready for Valorant's mobile debut.