Valorant
News, coverage and analysis tracking Valorant across the outlets.
EXPLORE THE ART AND CREATIVITY BEHIND 40 GAME TITLES THROUGH “WORLDS OF PLAY” GLOBAL ART EXHIBITION IN COLOGNE, AUGUST 27 TO 29Tencent announced "Worlds of Play: The Game Art Exhibition," a global art show featuring 40 game titles from over 20 studios. The exhibition will take place in Cologne, Germany, from August 27 to 29 during gamescom 2026. It will showcase artworks and installations across five themed zones, celebrating the artistry and cultural significance of game creation.
Former Marathon director settles lawsuit against Sony and Bungie, following his firing over alleged inappropriate messages to female staffFormer Marathon director Christopher Barrett has settled his lawsuit against Sony and Bungie, which was filed after his termination for alleged inappropriate messages to female staff. Barrett claimed wrongful termination and defamation, while the companies revealed some of the alleged messages. The settlement was announced via posts on X and LinkedIn, with both parties expressing satisfaction and acknowledging Barrett's contributions to Bungie's games.
Xbox setting Compulsion and Double Fine free is the only good thing to come out of Microsoft's layoffsMicrosoft's recent layoffs, affecting thousands of employees, have led to Xbox allowing Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions to become independent. While the mass job losses are devastating, this move is seen as a positive step for fostering innovation in the indie game space, freeing these studios from the constraints of triple-A development.
Valorant's Neon is "curbed" for now, but Riot says "balancing her is definitely challenging"Riot Games is discussing the challenges of balancing the agent Neon in Valorant, with Lead Agent Designer Dan Hardison and Agents & Live Product Manager Tiffy Tsay acknowledging her speed and movement abilities have been difficult to manage. Recent changes aimed to improve the 'playing against' experience by adjusting her High Gear ability and fuel replenishment, which has been considered a success in curbing player frustration and increasing agent variety.- Danger ZoneRiot Games is changing its controversial always-on requirement for the Valorant anti-cheat software, Riot Vanguard. A new on-demand mode will be introduced, which will require a strict Windows 11 security stack. This change aims to address player concerns about the anti-cheat's constant presence.
- PAX West 2026 Welcomes Riot Games’ Marc Merrill as Storytime SpeakerRiot Games Co-Founder Marc Merrill has been announced as the storytime speaker for PAX West 2026, which will take place at the Seattle Convention Center from September 4-7, 2026. Merrill, instrumental in the creation of games like League of Legends and VALORANT, will share a retrospective of his career. The event will also feature game demos, panels, concerts, and tournaments.
League of Legends' Vanguard anti-cheat finally gets the option to only run when you fire up a game, as Riot roll out "on-demand sessions" for "sufficiently secured" PCsRiot Games has introduced an optional 'on-demand' mode for its Vanguard anti-cheat software in League of Legends and Valorant. This new feature allows Vanguard to run only when a game is active, rather than starting with the PC, for users whose systems meet modern security requirements. Players with older hardware that does not meet these requirements will continue to use the always-on version of Vanguard.
There's a surprising amount of major games you can't play on Valve's Steam Machine - here are eight of the biggest, and whyValve's Steam Machine, despite its potential, faces significant limitations due to its SteamOS (a Linux variant) not supporting many popular games. This is primarily caused by anti-cheat software, which is incompatible with Linux, rendering titles like Destiny 2, Fortnite, Battlefield 6, Apex Legends, GTA Online, EA Sports FC 24, and modern Call of Duty games unplayable. While installing Windows is an option, it defeats the purpose of the console-like device.
You can finally turn Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat off when you're not playing a gameRiot Games is updating its Vanguard anti-cheat system to an 'on demand' model, meaning it will only run when playing League of Legends or Valorant and will shut down afterward. This change requires modern PC hardware and specific Windows security features like UEFI Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to be enabled. The update aims to reduce the intrusiveness of the kernel-mode software while maintaining its effectiveness against cheaters.
VALORANT Heads To The Mountains With Summit, Retakes And A Fresh New ActRiot Games has launched Season 2026 // Act 4 for Valorant, introducing the new 'Summit' map set in China and a 3v3 'Retake' game mode. The update also includes the Blackspyre cosmetic collection and a new Battlepass, available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
eSports Betting in Canada – What Gamers Need to Know in 2026The Canadian eSports betting market is experiencing significant growth, particularly in regulated provinces like Ontario. Gamers' analytical skills from competitive play translate well to betting, with titles like CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant seeing substantial wagering action. As the legal landscape clarifies and more reputable platforms emerge, eSports betting is becoming a natural extension of gaming habits for Canadian players.- MMO Business Roundup: Pocketpair rejects AI tools, Valorant opens a pub, and Epic Games Store unveils updatesThis MMO business roundup covers several industry updates, including Pocketpair's rejection of AI development tools, Riot Games opening a temporary Valorant-themed pub in London for an esports event, and Epic Games Store announcing "Launcher V2" with personalized store pages and other improvements planned over the next year.
Start Your Climb in Act 4 with Summit, VALORANT's New MapRiot Games has revealed Summit, a new map for VALORANT, launching on June 24, 2026. The map is set in a Chinese mountain academy and features droppable walls that alter sightlines and rotations. Act 4 also introduces the Retake game mode and the Blackspyre Collection weapon skins.
New Valorant map Summit breaks some core FPS rules, forcing you to "adapt on the fly"Riot Games is introducing a new Valorant map called Summit, a training ground and meditation center located in China. Game Designer Diego Varona highlights that Summit's unique feature is its permanently changing terrain during rounds due to closable doors, forcing players to adapt their strategies. The map will be added to the competitive roster on June 24, with a special bonus for players in the first two weeks.- Game Crossovers and CollaborationsRiot Games is hosting a Valorant-themed 'pub' event in east London, promoted by a British takeaway personality. The article also briefly mentions that Tom Cruise was considered for the role of Master Chief in Halo.
For some reason, Riot Games is creating a Valorant 'pub' in east London hosted by a British takeaway guy who likes to yell "bosh!"Riot Games is hosting a Valorant-themed pub event in East London from June 19-21, featuring British personality 'Big John'. The event at The Phoenix Arms will offer free screenings of the Valorant Masters tournament, custom merchandise, and a 'quintessential British matchday pub' atmosphere, though drinks will not be free.
Now-deleted TFT job post hints that it could be moving to Unreal EngineA now-deleted job posting from Riot Games suggests that Teamfight Tactics may be transitioning from its current Hextech Engine to Unreal Engine. The job description for a Director of User Experience (UX) Design mentioned partnering on the transition into Unreal Engine. This move could indicate a standalone version of the game and potentially improve the mobile experience, aligning with other Riot titles like Valorant that utilize Unreal Engine.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World Voice Actors and DLC DetailedSquare Enix has detailed the voice actors and downloadable content for Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, set to release on December 3, 2026, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The game will feature over 500 monsters and a fusion synthesis system. Four DLC add-ons are available, including a Scout Run VIP Card, Mega Mole Hole, Metallic Ring, and Monster Marathons, which can be purchased individually or as a set.
Valorant is Sage-posting again, and the timing doesn't seem to be a coincidenceRiot Games is dropping significant lore updates regarding the character Sage's ongoing crystallization in Valorant, leading to speculation about a potential gameplay rework. The latest narrative beat involves an email from Deadlock to Brimstone discussing the implications of Sage's condition, hinting at a major development possibly tied to VCT Masters London.
Riot embraces generative AI, as it targets "wild and weird" player experiencesRiot Games is expanding its use of generative AI, appointing Brendan Mulligan as Head of Experiential AI to create innovative player experiences. Despite past fan criticism, Mulligan aims to explore 'wild and weird' AI-enabled games, potentially impacting titles like League of Legends and Valorant, while assuring that AI integration will focus on genuine player benefit rather than investor profit.