Riot Games has confirmed that VALORANT will be moving off Unreal Engine 4 and onto Unreal Engine 5, a shift that shows just how far the tactical shooter has come in its first five years. Additionally, the latest Dev Diary to mark the 5-year anniversary for the release of VALORANT has revealed a lot more information.
Image Credits: Riot Games
VALORANT To Shift To Unreal Engine 5 Soon
Anna Donlon, SVP and studio head of VALORANT, first revealed the news during her keynote at Unreal Fest 2024 in Seattle. While she admitted that players might not notice a stark visual overhaul at launch, she stressed that this upgrade is critical to laying the groundwork for more ambitious updates down the road.
In today’s dev diary episode in VALORANT, Riot explained that the engine swap will begin with Patch 11.02, set for late July 2025. They’ve been careful to reassure the community that everything players love-agent abilities, weapon handling, and the game’s distinctive look-will feel familiar.
Under the hood, though, the move to Unreal Engine 5 for VALORANT promises smoother frame rates and snappier future downloads. As a token of thanks, anyone who logs in during the 11.02 update will snag a commemorative gun buddy.
“We’ve built VALORANT on Unreal Engine 4 for more than ten years now,” Riot’s developer update reads. “Upgrading to Unreal Engine 5 was inevitable. We’ve worked hard to ensure that your matches, your lineups, and your favorite angles will remain unchanged at first – this is about setting the stage for what comes next.”
VALORANT Kicks Off 5-Year Anniversary with Dev Diary, Reveals Major Game Updates
Beyond the engine upgrade, Riot has lined up a broad slate of refinements and fresh features, which have been revealed in the VALORANT Dev Diary:
- Ability Balance Overhaul: The team is conducting a full review of every agent’s toolkit, zeroing in on debuffs, site-wide ultimates, and those abilities that haven’t quite found their footing. Expect tweaks to everything from the minimap to the audio-visual cues on Brimstone’s molotov and Raze’s charges.
- New Map Incentive: A new map called Incentive is set to join the game.
- Stronger Behavior Safeguards: To tackle account sharing and smurfing, Riot plans to roll out Multi-Factor Authentication for any flagged accounts-and perhaps for everyone later this year. They’re also adding clearer in-game indicators of your behavior standing, so you always know where you stand.
- Competitive Mode Enhancements: The Premier system will soon let teams display custom Tags during Weekly Matches and will introduce a fresh way to honor Playoff winners. Plus, Pick’Em makes their comeback for all Masters and Champions events, starting with this summer’s Toronto Masters.
- Replay System at Last: In September, Patch 11.06 will bring a long-awaited replay feature to PC – complete with support for Competitive matches. Console players won’t be left out for long, as support is set to follow later in the year.
- The Future of VALORANT Esports: Looking toward 2027, Riot is sketching out a more open VCT ecosystem: one that better bridges Tier 1 and Tier 2 competition, welcomes a wider range of formats, and creates regional showpieces that feel every bit as momentous as global Masters or Champions events.
Other Events
Image Credits: Riot Games
Rounding out their fifth-anniversary plans, Riot will host “Riot Play Club” gatherings across Northern Europe from June 7 to 18. Fans in London, Manchester, Cork, Oslo, and Jyväskylä can drop by for themed activities, exclusive merch, and the chance to meet fellow Agents. In-game, a free event pass and the “5 Years // Beta Remastered Capsule”-packed with nostalgic items-will go live at the same time.
Reaching this five-year milestone is more than just a date on the calendar; it’s a testament to the game’s journey, the community that’s grown around it, and the ambitious roadmap still ahead.
In other major updates from Riot, they are also inching closer to VALORANT Mobile’s release with a China Exclusive mobile esports tournament already announced in partnership with OnePlus.