The new shooter Valorant by Riot Games will be released in summer 2020. However, access to the closed beta has already started on April 7th. We have summarized everything around the closed beta, access via Twitch Drops, and the registration.
On April 7th, the closed beta of Valorant, Riot’s new team shooter, started. You can gain access to this beta through unusual ways. You can win a beta key by watching Twitch streams of Valorant.
Text by Leya Jankowski and Jürgen Horn
Valorant is the new first-person shooter by Riot Games, the developers of League of Legends. The game initially resembles the shooters Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch. The tactical gameplay is clearly inspired by CS:GO but offers fine differences that ensure a fresh gaming experience. For example, there is a map with teleporters, which requires a different understanding of maps. There are heroes like in Overwatch with unique skills, but abilities play a subordinate role.
In summer 2020, Valorant will be released for the PC. An exact release date has not been provided yet. However, access to the closed beta begins on April 7, 2020, which we will elaborate on in this article.
Yes, Valorant is a free-to-play game. It is available for download free of charge, just like League of Legends. This also applies to the closed beta.
Currently, no open beta phase is planned.
The closed beta started on April 7, 2020, at 14:00. The end of the beta is not known but is said to last according to Riot for “a while”.
How to get a key for the closed beta of Valorant
This is how you register for the beta: Valorant distributes access keys via Twitch Drops from streamers who play Valorant on Twitch. If you’re lucky, you can win a beta key while watching a Valorant stream. If you manage to get a key, you need to connect your Twitch account with your Riot account.
If you do not have those accounts yet, you can create a Twitch account and a Riot Games account for free. We have already created a detailed guide for you on how to get Twitch Drops and participate in the beta of Valorant.
How do I connect my Twitch account with my Riot account? It’s very simple.
- Simply go to Twitch and log in with your user account. Then go to the account linking page on Twitch.
- There, click on “Connect” under Riot Games. If you are not sure that everything has worked, you can check the account connection in the settings on Twitch. The link leads you directly to the relevant area on Twitch.
Getting Valorant drops – Here’s how: Earlier, only certain streamers could offer such drops with keys to the beta. Now, drops are randomly distributed among all viewers of any streamers. Streamers just have to stream Valorant. How long you need to watch a stream for a drop is explained here.