Why Valorant still isn’t on Mac, but could come to consoles

After a year and a half, Valorant is still locked to just the Windows PC. But why? And could it be moving elsewhere soon?

Right now, Valorant is only available on Windows computers. But that could change soon, according to statements from developer Riot Games. Console ports for Valorant could already be in the prototype stage, and previous leaks have hinted at a mobile version being produced. Mac users may still be out of luck. Valorant developers have not made any statements about releasing the game for Apple computers.

Can you play Valorant on Mac?

Right now, Valorant is not available on Apple computers. Fans of Riot’s tactical first-person shooter can only play the game on Windows computers. Current Apple operating system macOS 12 is not compatible with Valorant, although you can play other Riot games such as League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics on a Mac. 

The Valorant development team has not officially confirmed a Mac version of Valorant being in the works. There are several challenges when it comes to porting games across these computer operating systems. Valorant’s proprietary anti-cheat system Vanguard is a major factor. Adjusting it to work with Apple computers could take a long time. Optimizing Valorant for Mac hardware could also be a lengthy process.

Is Valorant coming to consoles?

The current version of Valorant is not available on any home consoles, but developers at Riot Games have hinted at the potential for future releases. Executive producer Anna Donlon has stated that Riot has already began work on prototype versions of Valorant for consoles. No Valorant developers have stated which consoles they’re specifically targeting with this development, but the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 would be the most obvious choices. Valorant on the Switch is also a possibility, though the controllers may not be well-suited for it and the console lacks some of the raw hardware power of its Microsoft and Sony competitors.

Tactical shooters like Valorant stress precision in their gunplay, something best suited for keyboard and mouse control scheme. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive had console versions when it first released in 2012, but Valve no longer supports the console versions of the game.

There have been previous rumors of a Valorant mobile release, though there’s been little in the way of official word from Riot Games on the matter. Riot has recently released Wild Rift, a mobile-specific version of popular MOBA League of Legends.