Valorant is one of the leading tactical shooters available today. It launched in 2020 as a PC-exclusive and quickly won millions of players. Sharp gunplay, strong strategy, and a vibrant cast of agents pushed it to the top.
Valorant has grown beyond PC. It is now available on Xbox Series X, Series S, and PlayStation 5. This move brought many new players and new questions about how Valorant works across platforms.
One question stands out. Is Valorant crossplay between Xbox and PC? The answer decides how you form teams, who you face, and what kind of matches you find.
Before you start your next match, you should know how Valorant handles crossplay, cross-progression, and console gameplay. Whether you play on PC or console, learning these details will help you get the best experience. This guide will show you everything you need to know about Valorant’s cross-platform system.
Is Valorant Crossplay Between Xbox and PC?
There is no crossplay between PC and Xbox in Valorant. Riot Games decided to keep these platforms separate. PC players can only match with others on PC. Console users can only play with players on Xbox or PlayStation.
You should not expect to team up or face off against players from the PC community if you are playing on Xbox. Each platform has its own matchmaking pool.
Riot explained that Valorant’s PC and console versions were custom-built. They wanted to make sure the experience stays fair and competitive. Mouse and keyboard controls give players faster and more accurate aim than a controller. Mixing input methods would create an uneven battlefield. Riot Games chose to separate platforms to keep matches fair and competitive.
Is Valorant Crossplay Between PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?
Console players on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S can enjoy full crossplay with each other. You can team up with friends across these consoles without any problem. This helps create a larger pool of players and shorter matchmaking times.
You only need to enable the crossplay option inside Valorant’s settings. Once you toggle it on, you can play matches against players from the other console. It creates a fair and exciting experience because both platforms use similar controls and performance standards.
Why No Crossplay Between PC and Consoles?
Riot Games explained several reasons behind this decision:
- Control Differences: Mouse and keyboard users have faster aim and reaction times compared to controller players.
- Game Balance: Allowing PC and console players to face each other could lead to unfair matchups.
- Technical Challenges: Connecting PC and console servers smoothly would be harder and might hurt game stability.
Valorant depends on tight gunplay and strategic precision. Any small edge could create frustration. Keeping PC and console users in separate groups helps maintain fair and balanced matches.
Other games, like Overwatch and Call of Duty, have tried crossplay with mixed results. But Valorant’s low time-to-kill and fast-paced gunfights make input differences matter more. Riot wants skill, not hardware, to decide who wins.
Does Valorant Have Cross-Progression?
Valorant supports full cross-progression between PC and consoles. This is great news if you love playing on multiple platforms.
To enable cross-progression, you must use the same Riot Games account on all your devices. Once your accounts are linked, you can carry over everything that matters to your Valorant journey, including:
- Account level: Track your growth and milestones without starting over.
- Battle Pass progress: Keep unlocking rewards no matter where you play.
- Weapon skins: Show off your best looks on both console and PC.
- Agent unlocks: Keep every agent you have earned, ready for action.
- Cosmetic items: Carry your gun buddies, sprays, banners, and more across platforms.
You can move freely between PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5, and your hard-earned progress follows you. It is a simple, seamless system that makes Valorant more flexible and player-friendly.
There is one important thing you must remember. Competitive ranks and MMR do not transfer between PC and consoles. Your PC rank stays linked to your PC matches and does not carry over to consoles. Your console rank builds separately based on your performance there.
Riot made this choice to protect the competitive balance. Console and PC controls differ too much to mix their ranked systems fairly. Keeping them separate ensures every match feels fair, challenging, and rewarding on its own platform.
Cross-progression in Valorant gives players the best of both options by keeping progress synced across platforms. You get the freedom to play anywhere without losing your identity, while still enjoying a competitive system built for the platform you are on. It is a smart design that respects players’ time, effort, and skill at every level.
How to Set Up Cross-Progression
Setting up cross-progression in Valorant is simple. You should start by visiting the official Riot Games website. If you already have a Riot account, sign in. If not, create a new account first.
After signing in, go to your account settings. There, you will see the option to connect your console account. Choose your platform, like Xbox Series X/S or PlayStation 5. Follow the instructions to finish linking it.
Once your console account is linked, launch Valorant on your console. The game will sync your account automatically. You will keep your agents, weapon skins, Battle Pass progress, and cosmetic items. You will not lose anything when you move between PC and console.
Cross-progression gives you more freedom. You can play Valorant on any platform without losing your progress or rewards.
Valorant’s Journey from PC to Consoles
Valorant launched on PC in 2020. It quickly built a loyal player base with sharp gunplay, unique agents, and balanced matches. After high demand, Riot Games brought Valorant to consoles in 2024.
The launch on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 opened the game to a wider audience. Valorant’s closed beta for consoles started on June 14, 2024. Players needed invite codes to join. The community gave strong feedback, praising the smooth controller support and the new “Focus” system that improves aim.
On August 2, 2024, Valorant officially launched on consoles across the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Brazil. More regions may follow soon.
How Console Valorant Differs from PC
Valorant’s console release brings key changes to give players a smooth and fair experience. One of the biggest updates is the Focus System. This feature helps players fine-tune their aim when using a controller. It improves precision without making gameplay feel unbalanced.
Riot Games also redesigned the controls for gamepads. Valorant feels sharp and responsive on consoles, even though the setup is different from the keyboard and mouse on PC. Every action, from aiming to using abilities, has been tuned carefully for console play.
Another important change is separate matchmaking pools. Console players compete only against other console players. PC players stay in their own pool. This keeps matches fair and ensures players use similar controls, protecting Valorant’s competitive balance.
Even with these changes, the console version delivers the full Valorant experience. Players still get the same maps, agents, weapons, and tactical gameplay that made the PC version a success. Riot Games stayed true to the original vision and adapted Valorant for consoles without losing what makes it great.
Final Thoughts
Valorant’s move to consoles marks an exciting new chapter. You can enjoy the intense, tactical gameplay on your favorite platform. Xbox and PS5 players can now team up across consoles. Cross-progression lets you keep all your hard-earned items when you switch devices.
However, Valorant does not support crossplay between PC and Xbox or PC and PS5. Riot Games keeps them separate to protect fairness and competitive integrity. You can still enjoy everything Valorant offers, no matter where you play.
Valorant continues to grow and adapt, offering one of the best competitive shooter experiences today. Grab your controller or keyboard, lock in your agent, and get ready for thrilling battles!
Common Questions About it.
Is Valorant crossplay between PC and Xbox?
No. PC players cannot team up with or play against Xbox players.
Can PS5 and Xbox players play Valorant together?
Yes. PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players can match and play together through full crossplay.
Does Valorant support cross-progression?
Yes. Your cosmetics, agent unlocks, and Battle Pass progress move across platforms. Your competitive rank and MMR stay separate on each system.
Will Valorant ever support full crossplay?
Riot Games has not shared plans to add full crossplay between PC and consoles. With a focus on fairness, full crossplay looks unlikely for now.
Is Valorant free-to-play on consoles?
Yes. Valorant is free to download and play on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, just like it is on PC.