Is VALORANT Really the Next Big Esport?

When it comes to the esports industry, I'm always on the look-out for the next big game. In this sense, I also tend to be very wary as to where I place my excitement as certain titles may grab a lot of attention, but are intrinsically not built for esports - take Fall Guys for example. Another game released earlier this year is VALORANT, which threw the community into a hot discussion over whether it'll 'kill' CS:GO or not as the next big esport. After playing it plenty, here are my thoughts on the comments made earlier this year - is VALORANT the next big esport? 

The Most Hyped Game of 2020

I'll preface my main point in this article with a small history lesson. 

I think we can all recall the hype earlier this year behind the title, with everyone fishing for beta codes to play it pre-release as every content creator was hosting his own copy of the game. The merging styles of harsh gameplay reminiscent of tactical shooters such as CS:GO mixed with the role/champion mechanics and art style of League of Legends made for a fresh outlook. All of a sudden, the community realized that the genre of tactical shooters could be reinvented. 

Pairing the growing viewership behind the game, and the slight drop in CS:GO player count, many were quick to name it a 'killer'. 

Viewership Drops on Release

Heading into launch, everyone was hyping it up as the next massive viewership titan on platforms such as Twitch, However, upon launching the game, it suddenly dawned on the community that casual gaming in a tactical shooter isn't the greatest viewership experience at times. Indeed, on launch, VALORANT lost roughly 600,000 of its viewers before launch. 

However, while the casual community faded slightly, the competitive side of things exploded. 

Causing Roster Havok in Other Esports 

Almost immediately, the esports potential of VALORANT was realized by many professionals across many titles, mainly from CS:GO and Overwatch. Many young amateurs and also world champions from both scenes rushed to enter the scene and catch an early spark. 

Seemingly prepared for this, Riot Games had the Ignition Series ready to go. Acting as a framework of small events putting a lower amount of money on the line, it's been acting as a trial to test viewership and competitive settings. Personally, it can be said that everything's going great so far. 

The Potential for VALORANT - My Personal Experience 

I'll start off my main argument by stating that I'm no tactical shooter guru. I play these types of games on my ultrabook on integrated graphics great for writing articles, but not so much for gaming. Otherwise, I have experience in CS:GO and Call of Duty, much preferring the latter due to the less brutal approach to the skill gap. 

I love playing the objective, in whatever shooter I'm putting my time into. Sitting in a corner and camping is not me, but flying into an objective is. In my past experience playing CS:GO I always found it somewhat tough to make a consistently impactful performance each game to help my team win. Apart from the fact that the lighting is moreso drab than colourful, I felt like I had to put in a lot more time in the game to do well. 

With VALORANT however, each game I've played I've managed to single-handedly affect the map. Yep, the addition of champion/hero gameplay gives every single member of the team an intrinsic value with game-winning capabilities if used at the right time regardless of mechanical skill. In my opinion, this is VALORANT's greatest asset - this thick layer of variety and mastery involved in agents and their abilities over the regular concepts in a tactical shooter. 

Here are other massive feature which have me hopeful for VALORANT as an esport: 

• Consistent and involved developers of Riot Games rolling out frequent updates and addressing bugs immediately 
• Unique map design and art styles - three bomb sites, portals and doors allow for more strategies 
• Balancing - picking an agent is done to compliment the remainder of the team, each one designed with a specific role

Other small things made the game easier for me to play, as I ended up performing better than in CS:GO. One massive example is the fact that enemies are highlighted in a small red outline - great for distinguishing the enemy. 

Even though agents play a massive role and allow for an endless amount of variety, nothing will ever top the ability to be a headshot machine. The competitive side is awesome to watch as professionals are constantly pushing the envelope on how to use abilities to complement one another. 

Conclusion - It'll Take Time

Right now, I'd consider VALORANT a Tier 3 esport, which is great. Riot Games' patient approach to developing the title as a competitive one is respectable. They're taking it slow, listening to the community, learning from the events their hosting and making plans accordingly. For that reason and because of those mentioned, VALORANT should be on your radar as the next big esport. 

And no, in no way am I saying that 'VALORANT is better than CS:GO' - it just appeals more to me personally. 

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!