Riot Games’ highly anticipated tactical shooter Valorant will begin a closed beta period on April 7. Fans of both Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends are desperately scrambling to get a spot in the beta, but it isn’t as simple as entering into a lottery or creating an account.
In order to be selected for the closed beta, prospective players must sign up for, or sign in to, a Riot account. Then, a Twitch account must be linked. Starting on April 7, players that watch Valorant streams while signed into the linked account may be selected to take part in the beta.
Generally speaking, entries into a closed beta have been distributed in order to ensure a diverse player base. Players’ geographical regions, computer hardware, and experience level are usually taken into account in order to gauge how accessible the game is for all sorts of players.
Riot Games is going in a different direction, using beta keys in order to drive awareness of the game. By encouraging players to tune into Valorant streams, the game will likely dominate Twitch in the days that follow.
Valorant is currently a PC exclusive. No plans have been discussed for a console release.
This isn’t necessarily surprising, as the current console generation is winding down as publishers and players gear up for the launch of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
Valorant’s requirements are incredibly forgiving compared to most PC shooters. Most modern computer setups will be able to run the game.
As more Valorant gameplay surfaces, the esports community is rearing and ready to make it the next big esports title. The game’s blending of hero shooters and tactical shooters is a unique concept, with Riot seemingly going after CSGO’s throne. Numerous esports personalities have expressed interest in competing in Valorant, most notably CSGO pro Braxton “swag” Pierce.
Although a specific date hasn’t been announced yet, Riot is aiming for a summer 2020 release for Valorant.
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