Everything you need to know about Valorant on console: requirements, what carries over from PC, who you can play with, ranked and Focus mode – plus your personal start plan in four clicks.
Want to play Valorant on PS5 or Xbox but not sure what carries over from your account or who you can play with? Just answer the four questions below – the check instantly builds your personal start plan.
Valorant is free to play on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S – in Europe (including Germany) since 2024. You need a Riot account, but no PS Plus and no Game Pass. PS5 and Xbox play together, but not against PC players. You share skins, agents, currencies and the Battle Pass with PC, while your rank is separate. For aiming there’s the console-exclusive Focus mode on the left trigger.
Answer four quick questions above – which console you own, whether you already play on PC, who you want to play with and whether Ranked appeals to you. The check then builds a plan that fits your exact situation: what carries over from your account, who you can queue with and what to watch out for when you start. Every point is based on Riot’s official information. With “Copy plan” you can send the result to a friend who’s also thinking about making the switch.
Riot brought Valorant to the current console generation: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game isn’t available on older consoles like PS4 or Xbox One – according to Riot, it deliberately focused on Gen9 hardware to hit a high quality bar.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| June 14, 2024 | Limited Beta launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| August 2024 | Beta ends, official console release |
| September 23, 2026 | Launch in Australia and New Zealand (with Patch 13.06) |
At launch, the console version was available in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan and Brazil. Germany and the rest of Europe were included from day one. With Patch 13.06 in September 2026, Australia and New Zealand were added, including their own server access from September 23. Riot has announced it’s looking into further regions but hasn’t given a fixed timeline.
Game Pass: The Game Pass perks for Valorant only apply on Xbox, not on PlayStation. So if you own both consoles, you only get the bonuses when playing on Xbox.
The best part for anyone switching: you play with the same Riot account on PC and console. According to Riot, your content is shared between both platforms, and progress on one platform stays with your account. Specifically, that means:
| Content | Shared PC ↔ console? |
|---|---|
| Account level | ✓ yes |
| Currencies: VP, Kingdom Credits, Radianite Points | ✓ yes |
| Unlocked agents | ✓ yes |
| Weapon skins | ✓ yes |
| Battle Pass and its progress | ✓ yes |
| Mission progress | ✓ yes |
| Rank and MMR in Competitive | ✗ no, separate per platform |
So if you’ve already bought skins or leveled the Battle Pass on PC, you’ll find everything on console too. And the other way around, console purchases also show up on PC. Our Skin Value Calculator works out what your whole collection is worth.
Riot deliberately splits the player base by input device. PS5 and Xbox players play together, including in the same party. Console players don’t face PC players, though – Riot cites competitive fairness, because mouse and controller play too differently. You’ll find the full explanation with every combination and a crossplay checker on our Valorant Crossplay page.
On console you have your own rank and your own MMR, separate from PC. That makes sense, since you only face other console players there. For PC players switching over, this means: your PC rank doesn’t count on console, and you build a new one there. Since Patch 13.06, Valorant also rates your performance in Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay and Premier with the new Performance Score from 0 to 500, which replaced ACS. Our rank guide explains how the ranks are structured.
The biggest standout feature of the console version is Focus mode. At release, Riot’s Production Director described it as a new firing mode that essentially behaves like hip fire, but with reduced sensitivity. By default, Focus is mapped to the left trigger (L2 / LT).
Why that matters: on PC, good players usually shoot while standing still and from the hip, because Valorant reacts very precisely to movement. Focus mode brings this principle to the controller. You use regular hip fire when you need to react fast, and pull the left trigger when you want to aim precisely. Classic aiming down sights (ADS) is also available and can be configured separately.
In the console settings menu you’ll find separate sensitivities for regular aiming, Focus mode and ADS, among others. There’s no perfect value for everyone – so here’s our approach instead of blanket numbers:
When it comes to crosshairs, the same principles apply on console as on PC. Try out styles with our Crosshair Generator, and find the pros’ codes in the Crosshair Database.
Riot is very clear here: mouse and keyboard are not supported on console. Attempts to use them anyway – for example via adapters that pretend to be a controller (“spoofing”) – will get you banned. That affects your entire Riot account, including your skins and your progress on PC. If you prefer playing with a mouse, you’re better off on PC.
| Item | PC | PS5 / Xbox |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | free | free, no subscription needed |
| Input | Mouse & keyboard | Controller (no mouse support) |
| Opponents | PC only | PS5 and Xbox mixed |
| Rank | separate PC rank | separate console rank |
| Skins, agents, currencies | shared via the same Riot account | |
| Aim assist concept | – | Focus mode on the left trigger |
At the console release, Riot announced that balance patches, new agents, maps and premium content would launch on all platforms at the same time. So new content doesn’t arrive on console with a delay. Our Gaming PC Buying Guide shows what hardware you need for smooth Valorant on PC.
Getting started on console only takes a few minutes, but it’s still worth planning those first minutes carefully. If you do it properly now, you’ll avoid trouble later with the wrong account or unfamiliar settings. Here’s the best way to go about it:
Tip: Think carefully about which Riot account you want to use before linking. Your collection, your Battle Pass and your currencies are tied to the Riot account – not to the console.
Aiming with a controller feels unfamiliar at first, especially if you’re coming from PC. The good news: Valorant’s core principles stay the same whether you play with a mouse or a stick. The plan below is our own suggestion, not an official Riot program. It relies on a few clear drills that you can repeat every day in a short amount of time.
The most important part happens before you even shoot. While moving, always keep your crosshair at head height and where an enemy is most likely to appear next – at corners and doorways, for example. The less you have to correct during a duel, the less you rely on fast stick movements. To practise, walk slowly through a map you know and focus only on the height of your crosshair.
In the Range, practise pulling the left trigger in every duel at medium and long distance. The goal is to make Focus a habit so you no longer have to think about it. Use regular hip fire mainly at close range, when you need to react very quickly. Pay attention to how the reduced sensitivity in Focus feels when you make small corrections.
Valorant rewards shots taken while standing still. That applies on console just as much as on PC. Practise strafing sideways, stopping briefly and only then shooting. If you fire while moving, you lose a lot of accuracy. We also explain this basic rule in detail in our Beginner’s Guide.
Play a few rounds of Unrated or Swiftplay and focus on just one thing per match: first crosshair height, then Focus, then stopping before you shoot. After a week, you’ll notice that many movements already feel more natural. After that, it’s worth reviewing your sensitivity once more in small steps.
Tip: Practising with purpose for 15 minutes every day beats a three-hour session once a week. Short, regular sessions stick much better.
In principle you can play any agent on console, because agents, maps and balance patches are the same on every platform. Our take: especially early on, roles with lots of utility often feel more comfortable than pure aim roles. If you contribute smokes, healing or recon to your team, you can win rounds even while your duels aren’t perfect yet.
You’ll find every agent and their abilities in our agent overview. The tier list shows how strong each agent is currently rated. Remember: you share unlocked agents with PC, so you don’t have to unlock them again on console.
Valorant is a team game, and coordination often decides a round. On console you have two options: the in-game voice chat, which also reaches random teammates, and your console’s party chat when you play with friends in a fixed group. The key point: if you only talk in party chat, random teammates won’t hear you. If you’re not playing as a full five-stack, it’s worth passing important info on in the game chat as well.
Short, clear calls help the most: where is the enemy, how many are there, was someone hit? For that you need the names of the positions on every map. Our Callout Trainer teaches them in a playful way, and the map overview shows every map at a glance. Terms you’ll hear in voice chat are explained in our Valorant glossary.
Because your Riot account shares content between PC and console, you don’t have to buy skins twice. A weapon skin you bought on PC is also available on your PS5 or Xbox – and vice versa. The same goes for Valorant Points, Kingdom Credits and Radianite Points: Riot shares these currencies across platforms.
Above all, this means you should plan purchases for your account, not for a specific platform. Our Battle Pass guide explains whether a Battle Pass is worth it, and you can see what Valorant Points cost on our VP prices page. When buying, make sure you’re signed in with the right Riot account, because that decides where your content ends up.
Important: A second Riot account just for console completely separates your collection. Skins, agents and currencies can’t simply be moved between different Riot accounts.
Many early problems have less to do with talent than with habits. These are the mistakes we see most often – and how to avoid them:
If you’ve played on PC for a while, you bring valuable knowledge with you: maps, agents, economy and tactics work exactly the same on console. What’s different is mainly the aiming. Expect the controller to feel slower in the first few days and to lose duels you would have won with a mouse. That’s normal and no reason to give up right away.
You also start from scratch with your rank, because rank and MMR are separate on console. Your PC rank isn’t affected. So you can easily play on both platforms – Ranked on PC and relaxed games with friends on console, for example. Your skins, agents and Battle Pass progress come with you on both devices.
Console is a good choice if you want to play comfortably from the sofa, your friends are on PS5 or Xbox, or you don’t want to buy a gaming PC. PC is the better fit if you really want to aim with a mouse, want to play with friends on PC, or the PC tournament scene appeals to you. Since purchases and progress are tied to your account, the decision is never final – you can use both platforms at any time.
Valorant is free, but it offers in-game purchases such as skins and the Battle Pass. There’s also voice and text chat with strangers. If your child wants to play on console, it’s worth looking at the family and parental control features of PlayStation and Xbox. Among other things, they let you limit spending and communication. We explain Valorant’s age rating and what parents should watch out for in detail on our Valorant age rating page.
Another sensible step is to agree together on which Riot account will be used and who has access to payment methods. That way you keep track of what gets bought – whether on console or on PC.
Technical issues can often be solved with simple steps before you contact support. Try this order:
Because new content launches on all platforms at the same time, you also get every change from Patch 13.06, released on September 22, 2026, on console. Here are the key points at a glance:
Patch 13.06 also saw the console version launch in Australia and New Zealand. Nothing changes for players in Germany and the rest of Europe, since Europe was included from the start.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Focus | Console firing mode like hip fire, but with reduced sensitivity; mapped to L2/LT by default |
| ADS | “Aim down sights”: aiming through the weapon’s sights |
| Hip fire | Shooting without aiming down sights, straight from the hip |
| Crossplay | Playing together across platforms – here PS5 with Xbox |
| Cross-progression | Shared progress and content via the same Riot account on PC and console |
| MMR | Internal skill rating used for matchmaking, separate from PC on console |
| Gen9 | The current console generation: PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
You’ll find many more Valorant terms in our glossary. The ranks from Iron to Radiant are explained in the rank guide.
Yes. Valorant has been available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in Europe, including Germany, since 2024 and is free to play.
No. According to Riot, PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass offer perks but aren’t required to play Valorant. Game Pass perks only apply on Xbox.
No. PS5 and Xbox players play together, but not with or against PC players.
Yes. With the same Riot account you share your account level, VP, Kingdom Credits, Radianite Points, agents, weapon skins, Battle Pass and mission progress.
No. On console you have your own rank and your own MMR, separate from PC.
No. The console version is only released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
A console-exclusive firing mode that behaves like hip fire, but with reduced sensitivity for precise aiming. By default it’s mapped to the left trigger.
No. Mouse and keyboard aren’t supported, and according to Riot, attempts to use them, for example via a spoofing adapter, will get you banned.
No. With the same Riot account, weapon skins you bought on PC are also available on PS5 and Xbox – and vice versa.
No. At the console release, Riot announced that balance patches, new agents, maps and premium content launch on all platforms at the same time.
Riot doesn’t support third-party controllers. Your best bet is an officially supported controller for your console.
