Riot Games has officially launched Valorant on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, bringing the tactical 5v5 shooter to a whole new audience.
While this is an exciting expansion, it has led to confusion about whether console and PC users can play together. The short answer is: No, they cannot.
Let’s sort out what’s actually possible in terms of crossplay and cross-progression, based on official Riot sources.
Crossplay Between Platforms: Console-Only Matchmaking
Riot’s policy is built around maintaining competitive fairness, which necessitates separating the player bases.
- Console Crossplay (PlayStation ↔ Xbox): Yes, console players can play together. Riot’s official VALORANT Console Guide confirms that Xbox Series X|S players will be able to face off against PlayStation 5 players in all game modes, ensuring a healthier and larger player pool for console matchmaking.
- PC and Console Limitations: No crossplay between PC and console (PS5 or Xbox) is supported. PC players will remain in a separate, dedicated matchmaking pool from all console players.
The official decision to keep PC and console matchmaking separate stems from a commitment to competitive balance.
Riot has said that Valorant on consoles was adapted to feel natural for controller players. This includes features like Focus mode—designed for hip-fire with reduced sensitivity—and aim assist to help bridge the gap in precision, all without compromising the competitive integrity of the game.
Cross-Progression & Shared Content
While crossplay is restricted, the news on account progress is much better. Riot Games supports robust cross-progression across all platforms (PC, PS5, and Xbox).
What “shared inventory / progression” means for players:
| Feature | Shared Between PC and Console? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skins/Cosmetics | YES | All weapon skins, sprays, gun buddies, and other cosmetic purchases carry over. |
| Currencies | YES | Valorant Points (VP), Radianite Points (RP), and Kingdom Credits are shared. |
| Agents | YES | All unlocked/recruited Agents transfer across platforms. |
| Battle Pass | YES | Your Battle Pass and its progression are unified across all linked platforms. |
| Account Level/XP | YES | Your overall account level is the same regardless of which platform you play on. |
What does not carry between platforms:
- Competitive Ranks / MMR: Your Competitive rank and hidden Matchmaking Rating (MMR) are platform-specific. You will have a separate rank for PC play and a new, distinct rank for console play. You must play placement matches on console to earn your console rank, even if you are already ranked on PC.
To enable this cross-progression, players must link their console account (PSN or Xbox Live) to their existing Riot Games account.
Why Riot Chose This Model: Maintaining “Competitive Integrity”
Riot Games has been clear that the core reason for excluding PC ↔ console crossplay is maintaining “competitive integrity.”
The primary factor is the difference in input devices:
- Keyboard & Mouse vs. Controller: PC players using a mouse and keyboard have a significant inherent advantage in a tactical shooter like Valorant due to faster aiming, movement precision, and reaction times.
- Balancing Concerns: To make the game viable on console, Riot implemented specific controller mechanics and a form of aim assistance (Focus). Mixing these drastically different input methods, even with optional aim assist for the controller, would create a fundamentally uneven playing field that compromises competitive fairness.
Riot has consistently stated this goal: they did not want to ruin the competitive experience for either platform.
Current Status & Future Outlook
Console Valorant launched in a limited, invite-only beta before expanding to a full release.
- Regions Available: Console Valorant is currently available in key regions, including North America (NA), Europe (EU), Japan (JP), and Brazil (BR), with Riot handling the rollout in phases.
- Speculation on Future Crossplay: Riot has not confirmed plans for full PC-console crossplay in the future, and given their stated position on competitive integrity, it is highly unlikely to ever happen in Ranked or core competitive modes. Some community speculation suggests that non-competitive modes (like custom games or Deathmatch) could eventually allow mixed lobbies to let friends play casually, but no official statement has confirmed this.
Conclusion
For players who want to team up with friends across platforms, the reality is a mix of good and bad news:
- Console-to-Console: If you have friends on PS5 and you are on Xbox (or vice versa), you CAN team up.
- PC-to-Console: If your friends are on PC and you are on a console, you CANNOT team up in matches.
The best way to manage expectations is to accept that Valorant’s core competitive experience is platform-locked by input method.
However, you can jump between your PC and console without losing your valuable skins, agents, or Battle Pass progress, making the transition seamless for your cosmetic collection. Watch Riot’s official channels for any potential changes to non-competitive crossplay in future updates.