When Riot Gaming announced the release of a new game called VALORANT, the esports community was extremely excited. The company’s flagship title League of Legends is one of the most successful games in the history of esports and remains a leader on the competitive scene.
If you add the fact that VALORANT was promoted as a unique shooter that combines all sorts of game mechanics, it was easy to see that Riot’s target is to develop another blockbuster. The main goal is to challenge CS:GO for the crown of the most popular shooter in the esports industry.
The early signs are good, and the studio looks to be on the right path. VALORANT has shown excellent numbers on Twitch and other social media after Riot created a lot of hype during the closed beta. Plenty of influencers and popular faces in the esports industry are playing and the game has gathered a solid following as a result.
A Hybrid of CS:GO and Overwatch?
One of the biggest concerns about VALORANT is that it’s a bit too similar to CS:GO and Overwatch. The shooter certainly shares plenty of game mechanics with both legendary titles, but there are unique features as well.
The overall sensation of the beta version and the early days of the official product is that VALORANT is not simply a mix between some parts of the other two games. The balance in the game is excellent and the overall experience brings new emotions to the players.
At the same time, the difficulty level of the aim is similar to CS:GO which makes VALORANT great for esports. Mastering the weapons opens a huge gap and is the main reason why the skillful players will be able to shine.
The Early Tournaments Attract Plenty of Interest
Riot Gaming’s plans to gradually promote VALORANT through LAN events took a hit after the coronavirus pandemic. And yet, we saw plenty of online competitions in the USA, Europe, and Asia that were embraced by the esports community.
Plenty of pro players joined the action and expressed their desire to switch to VALORANT if the competitive scene develops properly over the near future. A quick look at Liquipedia’s page for the game shows a number of tournaments scheduled for 2020. The prize pools are still modest compared to the leading esports, but that’s to be expected.
The best known esports betting sites have reacted immediately and offer odds for many VALORANT events nowadays. That’s another sign that the game is here to stay and become an important part of the esports world.
What Does The Future Hold
VALORANT was released officially in June and the game’s ranked mode followed shortly after. The next few months will be crucial for Riot’s ambitions to storm the competitive scene. If the shooter attracts enough casual followers, it has a strong chance to become one of the biggest esports.
However, the desire to dethrone CS:GO might be too ambitious at this point. The legendary title is still going strong and there are no signs it will be slowed down by VALORANT’s rise.
On top of that, let’s not forget that Riot Gaming still has to polish the new title and the next year or so will be crucial. The good news is that the company knows how to develop a blockbuster and listen to the community, key ingredients for the success of any esports candidate.
Image: Riot Gaming
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