Below we’ve put together a quick explainer on how you can get involved in the action.
How to download and install Valorant
First things first, you’ll need to register for a Riot account. If you’ve clicked on the link and you’re worried it’s showing something to do with League of Legends, don’t worry. Riot accounts give you universal access to all of its games, so an account for LoL will grant you access to Valorant and vice versa. Once you’ve registered for a Riot account, simply head on over to Valorant’s download page click the download button, and you’ll see the .exe file downloading away. Now that’s downloaded, simply double click it, run it, and you’ll begin the installation process. It’s worth noting here that you’ll also install something called Riot Vanguard, Valorant’s bespoke anti-cheat software. You’ll need to give it a number of permissions, and if you’re comfortable with this, great. If you’re not, though, unfortunately there’s no way to play the game without it. And that’s it. Once you’ve installed it, boot the game up and you should be good to go.
When can I access the game?
Valorant’s servers are currently running the closed beta version of the game. We’ve put together a guide on how to get access to the closed beta if you want a quick taste of the shooter before launch, but it’s not guaranteed - thankfully there isn’t long to wait. Servers will go down on May 28th, and will reopen on June 2nd for Valorant’s official launch. It’s at this point where anyone and everyone who has a Riot account should be able to access the game freely. And we say freely, it’s free to play folks.
If I played in the Valorant Closed Beta, what carries over?
You’ll keep your special closed beta rewards, and any in-game cosmetic purchases you’ve made will be refunded with an extra 20% on top. Otherwise, everything else will reset. This means your rank, your Agent contracts - basically the lot. If you’re interested in playing Valorant when it launches, do make sure you keep our site bookmarked. We’ve already covered the game a bunch, and we’re planning on delivering even more content in the near future. Our guides on how to improve your aim, as well as our ranking on the Best Agents are worth taking a look at, as well as our Best Guns page too.
