Riot Games
April M. Reid is a freelance content writer specializing in gaming and tech. Aside from HGG, her words have popped up in PCGamesN, Gfinity, FandomS... Read more
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
Valorant is a 5v5-based tactical FPS game developed and published by Riot Games back in 2020. The game is set in a near-future Earth, where you take on the role of characters called “Agents,” and battle it out against other players across various rounds. The gameplay is fast-paced, fun, and filled with plenty of combat and opportunities to show off your creativity.
Valorant was one of the most highly anticipated tactical shooters back in 2020. In fact, its closed beta launch attracted more than 3 million players each day, and millions more were tuning into streams of the gameplay via platforms like Twitch.
The hype for Valorant didn’t slow down after its initial launch, and it quickly became one of the most popular tactical FPS games out there, hailed as a happy-medium between CS:GO and Overwatch.
However, with the game now approaching its fourth anniversary, is Valorant still worth playing? Let’s find out!
Does Valorant Release New Content in 2024?
While many games tend to slow down their content release schedule as they age, this isn’t the case for Valorant. New agents, game modes, maps, and gameplay mechanics are still introduced regularly, and the meta is constantly changing patch by patch too. These regular updates mean competitive gameplay never feels stale and you’ll always have something to look forward to.
Not only that, but Riot is set to actually expand the Valorant universe in a whole new way: they’re bringing the game to mobile devices. While Riot haven’t announced the official release date of Valorant mobile yet, it’s likely to go live sometime in late 2024.
Is Valorant Still Active in 2024?
Yes, Valorant is absolutely still thriving in 2024! According to ActivePlayer.io, the game still experiences 28 million monthly players, with around 700,000 people playing Valorant daily. Plus, Valorant still has a healthy Twitch presence. There are thousands of active Valorant streamers and the game was watched by people all around the world for almost 90 million hours in February alone.
Finding games in Valorant is also pretty easy. You’re usually matched up within a few minutes, regardless of your elo or the game mode you pick. Plus, because of how active the game is, you aren’t likely to run into the same players over and over again (a perk for those who want to escape the memories of former troll teammates or incessant flamers).
Does Valorant Run Well in 2024?
Valorant has visually impressive graphics, and in my opinion, it’s still one of the most eyecatching games on the market (even compared to fresher titles). Nothing feels outdated and the attack animations are fluid and slick. Plus, FPS drops are pretty rare.
You also don’t need a fully specced-out rig to run Valorant comfortably; the game is compatible with most Windows devices. However, you do need to meet the following minimum hardware requirements:
- Memory: 4 GB
- Graphics Card: Intel HD 4000, Radeon R5 200 or higher
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 or Athlon 200GE (AMD) or higher
If you want to play competitively and experience over 144 FPS in your games, then you’ll require:
- Graphics Card: GTX 1050 Ti, Radeon R7 370
- CPU: Intel i5 9400F 2.90GHz (intel), Ryzen 5 2600X (AMD)
Unfortunately, Valorant is not currently compatible with M1 or M2 Mac devices. You can run Valorant on Macs with Intel processors, but you’ll need to do so via bootcamp.
Should I Play Valorant in 2024?
While I can’t decide this for you, I would highly recommend Valorant in 2024. The game is still receiving regular updates, with a mobile version set to release later this year, and it still has a thriving community. Plus, the actual gameplay feels and looks great.
You should definitely consider playing Valorant in 2025 if you’re after:
- A fast-paced shooter game where rounds don’t feel drawn out
- A constantly changing meta to keep you hooked
- Colorful, fluid graphics that stand the test of time
- Less cheaters (due to Vanguard)
- Strategy-based gameplay that’ll get you thinking out of the box
However, you may want to consider other game titles if:
- You have a M1 or M2 Mac device (Valorant isn’t compatible)
- You don’t like cartoonish graphics and want something more realistic
- You’re not comfortable with having Vanguard installed
- You don’t want to learn different abilities or playstyles
You must sign in to comment.
Don't have an account? Sign up here!