Valorant is a free-to-play multiplayer tactical first-person shooter developed and published by Riot Games. It was officially released in June 2020.
The game is set in the near future and features a set of unique agents, each with their own special abilities. These agents are divided into four categories: Duelists, Initiators, Controllers, and Sentinels. Each agent comes from a variety of countries and cultures around the world.
In Valorant, two teams of five players compete against each other in a best-of-24-rounds format. One side plays as the attacking team and has a bomb, known as the Spike, that they need to plant on a site. The other side plays as the defenders, whose goal is to either prevent the Spike from being planted or to defuse it if it is. After 12 rounds, the teams switch sides.
The game combines the character-based elements of games like Overwatch with the tactical shooting of Counter-Strike. Valorant also places a heavy emphasis on precise shooting and tactical strategy.
Valorant has been praised for its gameplay, character abilities, and the balance between different agents. Riot Games has also committed to a strong stance against cheating, implementing several measures to prevent and detect cheats.
Riot Games continues to expand the game with new agents, maps, game modes, and seasonal events.
