Riot Games’ tactical shooter Valorant quickly rose to fame within the PC gaming community when it was launched in 2020, having a population of an estimated 11.34 million players as of December 2023. However, like every other Riot game, gamers have wondered one question ever since it came out: Is Valorant on Steam?
Can You Play Valorant on Steam?
![Valorant on Steam](https://player.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/valorant-on-steam-gameplay-1024x576.jpg)
The answer to this question is, sadly, no. Currently, there is no way to play Valorant through the Steam client. As of now, Valorant can only be played through Riot Games’ client. This means that if you want to play Valorant, you will have to download the game directly through its website.
Though it is not available in one of the most popular video game stores, it is still completely free-to-play, so you might still have fun with it without spending a penny. What’s more, Riot Games famously only lets its players access all of its games, like League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra, and Teamfight Tactics, through its launcher. But of course, this too might change in the future.
Will Valorant Be Playable on Steam?
Currently, there are no options to purchase or play the game through Steam. This means that when you launch the game, you do so through Riot Games’ custom client. So, there is no way for the game to be shown on your Steam profile.
This also means that you cannot launch the game through Steam, meaning you cannot access the Steam game overlay. You also cannot access your friend list to invite them to a game. But you can still use Riot Games’ launcher for all these features and more.
Suppose you have been saving money on your Steam account to purchase some of your favourite Valorant skins. In that case, you might be a little bit sad about this: Not having Valorant on Steam also means that you cannot make your in-game purchases through your Steam wallet.
Having Valorant on Steam seems unlikely in the near future due to the fact that Steam’s owner company, Valve, is a direct competitor of Riot.
However, this doesn’t mean that there has not been a precedent where a direct competitor of Valve has released its games on the platform. Overwatch 2 was released on Steam recently, and it mainly received negative reviews.
Playing Valorant on Steam Deck
![Valorant on Steam](https://player.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/valorant-gameplay-1024x576.jpg)
You may have heard of Steam Deck: Steam’s handheld gaming console, which came out in February of 2022. The console uses the SteamOS operating system, which is a system based on Linux and developed by Valve.
If you want to play Valorant on Steam Deck, then you might also be bummed to hear that, as of now, there is no way to access the game through this handheld gaming console directly.
The main reason why Valorant cannot be played on Steam Deck is its anti-cheating software. It runs by itself when you play the game on a PC, thanks to Riot Games’ launcher app. However, Steam Deck’s operating system, SteamOS, can only access games that have been released on Steam.
This means that if you find a way to download Windows into your Steam Deck console, then you might have the chance to play Valorant on Steam Deck. However, it might be a little bit risky since you have to uninstall the console’s operating system.
What other alternatives do you have? Well, you can always opt to buy a Steam Deck alternative that may allow you to access the game without compromising on its operating system. You can also play thousands of other multiplayer shooter games that are supported by the Steam Deck, such as Counter-Strike 2.
Final Thoughts
The competition between Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 is likely to persist for quite some time. Although they cater to different player groups, comparisons are inevitable. This rivalry drives both Riot Games and Valve to innovate and maintain their respective titles continuously. Consequently, the prospect of playing Valorant on Steam seems slim at the moment.
Given Steam’s popularity, one might speculate about future possibilities. Yet, the chances remain relatively low, as it doesn’t appear likely that Riot Games would completely move away from its launcher.
For now, that’s our take on the potential of Valorant being available on Steam and Steam Deck. Keep an eye out for new guides on competitive FPS games we’ll be releasing in the days ahead. In the meantime, feel free to explore all the content we have related to Valorant or Counter-Strike 2.
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- My journey into the world of video games began at four, when I was first introduced to arcade machines in 1996. Over the past decades, I've been fortunate enough to witness the incredible evolution of gaming, as it has grown from a niche hobby to a thriving art. Today, I'm dedicated to creating content that celebrates all genres of games. We will talk about them at Player.me.