[Bu-aeri's Game Dictionary] Riot, the huge success of 'LoL', now aims for shooting!

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] Riot Games, the creator of League of Legends (LoL), which boasts 8 million daily concurrent users, is drawing industry attention by taking a bold step into the traditional shooting game genre.

On the 2nd, Riot Games officially launched the first-person shooter (FPS) game 'Valorant' worldwide. Valorant is a shooting game set on Earth, where agents from diverse cultural backgrounds battle forces threatening the planet.

The gameplay is a 5:5 competitive format divided into offense and defense, engaging in a total of 24 rounds of gunfights. Players can select weapons suited to each round and utilize unique skills possessed by each character to execute dazzling tactical plays. Like LoL, the gameplay is free, so anyone who can shoot well can play, which is a major advantage.

Joe Ziegler, Game Director at Riot Games, stated, "Valorant's distinction lies in its ability to enable creative expression, unlike traditional shooting games. Players familiar with shooting games will immediately notice the differences when playing Valorant. Riot will strive to deliver a service at the level of LoL and plans to evolve the game gradually by incorporating user feedback."

User reactions have also been enthusiastic. During the beta test (CBT) period, an average of 3 million players logged in daily, and streaming viewership on Twitch and Afreeca TV totaled 470 million hours, proving steady player interest and popularity.

Given Riot Games' dominance in the eSports market with LoL, expectations for Valorant's eSports potential have also risen. In fact, numerous professional Valorant teams have been formed in North America and Europe.

Anna London, Valorant General Producer at Riot Games, commented, "We consider eSports when designing all our games, but for Valorant, we did not want to proceed with eSports immediately after launch. However, due to the high interest in Valorant, we plan to move forward faster than originally scheduled."