Since its global launch in 2020, Valorant has quickly made its mark in the global FPS market with its innovative game mechanics, smooth gameplay, and highly competitive esports atmosphere. While players can't see the number of players online directly through the game client, the game's player base continues to grow, as evidenced by the data regularly released by Riot Games and third-party platforms. Earlier this week, Valorant studio director Anna Donlon had confirmed that the game had surpassed 35 million monthly active users, a figure that should include the Chinese server.
This number is not surprising, as Riot Games' strategy for Valorant has been very successful, continuing to provide players with content updates and game balance adjustments. With the constant introduction of new heroes, maps, weapon skins, and various game modes, players are kept fresh and sticky. At the same time, Riot Games has invested heavily in the promotion and organization of esports events, making Valorant one of the fastest-growing esports events in the world, attracting a large number of new players. In this highly engaging environment, both professional and casual gamers can find a sense of engagement in the game, as Riot Games excels at esports.
The promotion of social media platforms and live-streaming sites has undoubtedly been a key driver of Valorant's rapid growth, and Riot Games has been able to watch streamers to beta as early as the game's closed beta. Before the launch of the Valorant national server, many domestic streamers began to broadcast the game live, and the rise of the EDG team also attracted a wave of popularity. Players have further boosted the game's following and user growth by watching professional matches, watching streamers' game streams, and participating in various challenges and community activities. This, combined with Riot's regular engagement with players to share game updates and future development plans, further strengthens players' sense of community.
In addition to the growth in player count, Valorant's rise in the global esports scene is also one of the reasons why it has quickly attracted players. Riot Games has a wealth of experience operating esports events, especially in League of Legends, which directly led to the rapid formation of Valorant esports events. Top teams around the world, lucrative tournaments, and a growing audience have made Valorant one of the current leaders in FPS esports. This strong tournament ecosystem attracts not only professional players, but also a large number of ordinary players who want to gain a competitive experience through games.
In addition, Valorant was initially limited to PC, but Riot Games understands the importance of "cross-platform" development in the contemporary gaming industry. At the beginning of August 2024, Valorant officially landed on XBOX and PS5, the two mainstream home game console platforms, and does not support Chinese server accounts for the time being. This move not only expands the game's user base, but also enables a high-quality tactical shooter for those who prefer to play on consoles. Within a week of its console launch, Valorant was one of the top 10 most popular games in the United States, which shows how attractive it is, given the large number of console users in Europe and the United States.
While 35 million monthly active users is a very impressive number, many industry experts believe that this is not the peak of Valorant's player count, which could reach 45 million in the future. Riot Games plans to launch a mobile version of Valorant in the future, which will further expand Valorant's player base to the mobile market. Given the sheer size of the mobile gaming market, this move is expected to bring Valorant players to a new peak. Riot Games and Tencent's focus on mobile gaming could make Valorant one of the world's top mobile FPS games.
In the field of FPS games, more than 35 million monthly active users is undoubtedly a very staggering number, after all, the game threshold is there, and it is difficult to break 100 million like MOBA games. But looking at the entire FPS online game market, there are very few games that can reach this level of player size. For example, the classic FPS game CSGO, although it has a long-term and stable player base, its monthly active users have remained around 20 million in recent years; While Call of Duty has attracted a large number of users, its player count has also dropped after the peak of the pandemic. At the moment, there are only a handful of top-notch FPS games that can match the number of Valorant players.
Valorant, on the other hand, follows the regular update model of League of Legends, which continues to provide players with interesting gameplay content and balance adjustments, and the pass mechanics ensure that players continue to invest their time. In summary, Valorant's rapid growth in monthly active users is due to its low-profile expansion strategy, rich game content, and its influence in the esports space. Valorant's 35 million monthly active users have already placed Valorant among the top of the global FPS market, and with the launch of mobile games, the multi-platform expansion is expected to continue to climb that number and solidify its position as one of the world's most popular shooters.