Riot has been working on diversifying quite a lot lately, and while they remain somewhat focused on League of Legends and its various spin-offs, the company has been branching out a fair bit. The previously hinted at Project A, which Riot Games has been working on for some time, finally has a name. Valorant is the latest title from Riot Games, being teased as a complete departure from the MOBAs and spin-offs that have built their reputation up to this point with many PC gamers.
This new game is an action-oriented FPS that focuses on hyper-competitive 5v5 shooter gameplay. It looks like Riot is hoping to tap into the eSports craze that games like Rainbow Six Siege have been exploiting for some time. Being a shooting game though, potential players want to know what kind of hardware they will have access to.
Valorant makes use of a similar system to CS: GO, basing weapon loadouts on a player-chosen economy that’s built around a setup being chosen at the beginning of a match. Players will be allowed to change it up between rounds though. This will likely lead to a very interesting meta-game based on weapon choices, which is exactly the kind of environment where eSports competition can thrive.
Image via Riot Games
The full roster of guns in Valorant has not been confirmed yet, but the overall trend is moving towards realistic, based on the sketches the developer has shared so far. A mix of sci-fi influenced assault rifles, more realistic revolvers, and sub-machine guns have all been spotted. Various heavy weapons like sniper rifles, chain guns, and shotguns have also been seen in the teasers.
Players can also engage in melee combat and stealth options, based on screenshots that have been shared.
Image via Riot Games
Of course, the choice of weapon is only a tiny part of the strategy of playing this shooter well. Being able to nail headshots or other ultra-damaging shots is vital to success in battle. So if you’re looking to compete effectively, better bone up on that aim now.