If there were any doubts that Riot Games didn't have esports plans for its upcoming tactical shooter, Valorant, the developer has issued an official confirmation countering them.
A man by the name of "Whalen" broke down Riots plans for the Valorant esports scene on behalf of the esports team. According to him, the Valorant esports setting will build off of three different principals: Competitive Integrity, Assecibility, and Authenticity.
Competitive Integrity involves ensuring that all Valorant matches are won based on merit, skill, and teamwork alone. The team will do everything in their power to squash any cheaters so that aspiring pros have a fair shot at being the best.
Accessibility revolves around making as many people as possible believe that they can play Valorant too, which grows the community by letting in new fans. The esports team plans to inspire potential newcomers by providing the best broadcast experiences possible, which will involve capturing and showcasing all the clutch moments, creativity, and teamwork pulled off in competitive Valorant matches.
Last but not least, Authenticity means that the esports team understands that Valorant's esports exists for the community and depends on it for success. So, the esports team plans to grow Valorant out naturally, and won't be rushing to make any decisions without knowing how they will impact the community. For that reason, the esports team wants to find and highlight the game's community leaders.
Finally, with all that said, the first step the esports team will take in building the scene will be reaching out to and forming relationships with the players, content creators, tournament organizers, and developers of Valorant. It will specifically target the latter two in the beginning.
The esports team will provide tournament organizers with community guidelines that will help them understand the expectations of events, including third-party tournaments. Whalen claims that with these guidelines, organizers can confidently plan things out and also make sure to leave room for the amateur scene. And as for developers, they can use the new Riot Developer Portal to discuss what new tools they want to implement in the game, such as the upcoming in-game API.
And that's all the information provided so far. There is, of course, no confirmed date as to when the competitive season will start as Valorant's official release hasn't even happened yet. Whalen seems optimistic that Valorant's esports will last for decades, though, and will provide updates as things progress.
Valorant releases this summer on PC.
Source: PlayValorant