Riot partners with Lightspeed for Valorant Mobile's China launch

After nearly four years of silence, Riot Games has finally announced that their popular tactical hero shooter, Valorant, is making its way to mobile devices. The development is being spearheaded by Tencent-owned Lightspeed Studios, marking a significant step toward bringing the game to a wider audience. While an exact release date remains under wraps, Riot has confirmed that the initial launch will target the Chinese market, setting the stage for a broader global rollout.

Valorant uniquely blends the strategic, tactical gameplay of Counter-Strike with the dynamic hero abilities reminiscent of Overwatch. The game's core mode features 13-round 5v5 matches where each player has a single life per round, often accompanied by objectives like defusing or planting bombs, a mechanic familiar to fans of Counter-Strike.

The collaboration between Riot and Lightspeed comes as no surprise given their shared parent company, Tencent. However, this official confirmation is a breath of fresh air following the long wait for news on Valorant Mobile.

Given the dominance of Android in China, it's highly likely that Valorant Mobile will see a multi-OS release. Riot's announcement provides just enough detail to confirm that development is underway with Lightspeed and that a China-first strategy is in place. While this hints at future international availability, current global trade issues, particularly affecting smartphone distribution, may delay the worldwide launch. Tencent, Lightspeed, and Riot will likely take their time before announcing a definitive global release date.

In the meantime, if you're eager to get your shooting fix, there's no need to limit yourself to puzzle or cooking games. Dive into our curated list of the best shooters available for Android and iOS to keep your trigger finger sharp until Valorant Mobile arrives on your device.