Is VALORANT on PS4?
If you’re like us, you still wake up some nights with a start, short of breath, wondering aloud “When oh when is VALORANT coming to PS4?”. How long do we really have to wait for a console version of our favorite 5 vs. 5 FPS?
VALORANT has done nothing but grow in popularity since its release in 2020, so why can’t we play it on PS4 yet? And how much longer will Riot keep us waiting for a PlayStation release?
Well, unclench your fists, friend, and still your nodding head – we’re going to lay it all out for you.
VALORANT on PS4
Here’s the good news: a console version of VALORANT is definitely in the works over at Riot HQ.
The bad news is… that’s about all we know. You want to know a release date and so do we, but it ain’t happening this side of Christmas.
“But why? What’s the holdup?” we hear you cry…
The console challenge
In a nutshell, the reason we don’t have VALORANT on PS4 (or any console at all) is because of the gameplay.
As a tactical FPS, you can’t get far in VALORANT without the kind of laser-like accuracy that only a mouse and keyboard setup allows for. Riot literally designed the game to be played like this, and the last thing they want to do is release a console version of VALORANT that undermines that experience.
Sure, similar games like Apex Legends and Overwatch have enjoyed successful console ports that prove it’s possible… but those games aren’t VALORANT.
Precise aiming is only a part-time necessity for those games.
So how long until we can play VALORANT on PS4?
In the words of Riot’s Executive Producer Anna Donlon…
“We are continuing our work on bringing VALORANT to new platforms, it’s going slower than we’d hoped, probably slower than you’d hoped, but we want to get it right.”
Some reports claim that a mobile version of VALORANT is a higher priority for Riot, but we have a suspicion that those rumors rhyme with “full twit”.
The call among fans for a version of VALORANT on PS4 is simply too huge to think otherwise.
That, and we’ve already seen evidence that supports a PlayStation 4 and Xbox release on the cards…
First, in August 2022, reliable community leaker @valorantleaksEN shared a screenshot of VALORANT’s game files with icons for PlayStation 4 and Xbox.
A few months later, eagle-eyed fans were quick to spot a tantalizing Riot job post. A job ad surfaced for a “Senior Game Designer, Console”, describing the role duties as “Design and refine features, modes, and systems to help bring console game products to market.”
Of course, Riot loves playing things close to the chest, so that’s all we know. But while it’s been quite some time since those final rumblings, it’s all certainly enough to keep our hope alive!
Will VALORANT be free on PS4?
Since it’s free on PC, we don’t see any reason why it won’t be the same when VALORANT finally comes out on PS4.
What about other consoles?
Xbox is the other major likelihood for a VALORANT console port. In fact, it’s pretty much a given based on those game files and the partnership between Riot and Xbox Game Pass.
Again, there’s no solid release date or plans, but smart money says we’ll get an Xbox version of VALORANT around the same time as we get a PS4 version.
From where we’re sitting, it seems obvious that we will play VALORANT on PS4… one day. It’s only a matter of time.
After all, it doesn’t get clearer than…
“If we feel like we can deliver this experience on those platforms, we absolutely will. But we really want Valorant to stand for a certain type of gameplay and a certain type of experience.” Anna Donlon, Executive Producer at Riot
VALORANT on PS4 or Ps5?
The big question on a lot of lips is will Riot even bother releasing VALORANT on PS4? It’s not even Sony’s latest console, so surely the PS5 is a better bet?
There’s no official word on this, but we feel it’s likely we’ll see both PlayStation versions of our beloved tactical FPS.
The PS4 is still receiving versions of all the latest games, after all, and plenty of PlayStation stans have yet to upgrade to a Ps5. Plus, once Riot’s nailed the mechanics of a console VALORANT, it’ll be a simple shot to release it on both generations of PlayStation.