With 60 million pre-registrations and a fully backed competitive roadmap, VALORANT Mobile is set for its large-scale launch in China.
CHINA – VALORANT Mobile is officially set to launch in China on August 19, as announced during a press conference in Shanghai on Sunday, August 3. Alongside the release date, Riot Games and Tencent revealed that the game has already surpassed 60 million pre-registrations, with over US$200 million committed to its development and ecosystem over the next three years.
Originally announced in April 2025, VALORANT Mobile generated massive excitement both domestically and internationally. Co-developed by Riot Games and Tencent’s Lightspeed Studios, the mobile adaptation arrives as the PC version celebrates its 5th anniversary.
Though it launched three years late in China, VALORANT PC thrived. EDward Gaming delivered Asia’s first world title with their win at the 2024 Champions Seoul, and VCT CN led global viewership, outpacing other regional leagues Americas, EMEA, and Pacific.
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VALORANT has firmly established itself as one of the most popular games on the global stage, achieving a level of success that its predecessor never quite reached, particularly in markets like Asia-Pacific, where it has resonated with a wide and diverse audience. The game has not only captivated a massive player base but also fostered a thriving esports ecosystem with its unprecedented regional parity. All aforementioned four major regions are capable of producing title-contending teams.
Beyond the professional scene, VALORANT has become deeply integrated into everyday gaming culture. Content creators regularly produce highlights, skits, tutorials, and commentary that rack up millions of views, while casual players continue to engage with the game on a daily basis whether through ranked matches, custom games, or simply following their favorite teams and streamers.
That success both locally and globally has set the stage for the launch of VALORANT Mobile especially in the future for regions like Southeast Asia, South Asia, China, and South America, where mobile gaming and esports are the dominant platforms. In these markets, mobile titles consistently outperform their PC counterparts in both player base and engagement, making VALORANT Mobile well-positioned to surpass the reach of the original game. This is a major opportunity for Riot to tap into massive, mobile-first audiences and further grow the VALORANT ecosystem.
The launch announcement in Shanghai was attended by VALORANT Studio Head, Anna Donlon, who reaffirmed Riot’s long-term commitment to the Chinese market. She emphasized that VALORANT Mobile is not just a straightforward client port, nor is it a clone or a simplified copy of the PC version. “Lightspeed Studios’ understanding of VALORANT runs incredibly deep. They share our core values and our belief that players deserve the most solid, authentic gameplay experience.”
As VALORANT Mobile rolls out on a large scale in China, it arrives fully equipped with a comprehensive set of features and content: 18 agents, 7 standard maps, 2 specially designed team deathmatch maps, and 10 game modes.
VALORANT Mobile will inherit the PC version’s rigorous anti-cheat standards. This includes multiple layers of protection, such as detection of keyboard and mouse mapping, hardware checks to prevent macro usage, and a replay system that offers full-match playback for review.
Backed by VALORANT and Riot Games’ strong track record in cheat detection, the mobile version is expected to uphold the same high standards of competitive integrity.
The plan for VALORANT Mobile’s domestic esports ecosystem has also been unveiled, with CN¥10 million (approximately US$1.3 million) allocated annually to support its “National Competition” circuit.
Mirroring the structure of the PC version, this ecosystem will include multiple competitive pathways (national, collegiate, platform-based, and co-op circuits) designed to foster talent development and wide-scale participation across China.
While Riot has yet to announce an official global release date for VALORANT Mobile, some players have already found ways to access the Chinese servers. A few have even taken the opportunity to get a head start, forming teams and securing contracts with esports organizations.
The launch announcement event concluded in the evening with a grand display in one of China’s most iconic locations, the Bund in Shanghai. The announcement lit up the Citi building, where all attendees gathered to watch.
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Cover photo courtesy of Riot Games
