If you’ve got a group of friends split between PC and console who all love Valorant, you’ve almost certainly asked: can pc and console play valorant together? For years, Riot kept Valorant exclusive to PC, but the long-awaited console launch finally opened the door for cross-platform play conversations. I’ve spent the last three months testing crossplay queues with my own friend group, half on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, half on gaming PCs, so I’ve got all the real-world details you need to avoid frustration when you’re trying to squad up. It’s not as straightforward as some other competitive shooters, but there are clear rules you can follow to get your whole crew in the same lobby.
Can PC and Console Play Valorant Together? Short Answer First
The short answer is yes, but only for specific game modes, and there are hard rules about matchmaking you need to know before you queue. Riot built Valorant’s crossplay system to keep competitive integrity intact first, which means they’ve added restrictions you won’t find in more casual shooters like Fortnite. You won’t be able to mix PC and console players in every queue type, and if you do squad up across platforms, you’ll be placed in a lobby that prioritizes fair play for everyone, no matter their input method. I’ve seen too many groups get stuck waiting for a queue that never pops because they didn’t check which modes support crossplay first, so let’s break that down clearly.
Crossplay Eligible Game Modes and Restrictions
Not every Valorant queue lets you mix PC and console players, so you’ll need to pick the right mode if you want to play with friends across platforms. Riot has limited crossplay to non-competitive modes for now, to make sure ranked lobbies stay as balanced as possible for players who stick to one platform. If you’re trying to grind the ranked ladder, you’ll have to stick to players on the same platform as you, no exceptions. That said, there are plenty of fun modes you can play with your mixed platform crew, including:
- Unrated: The standard casual 5v5 mode is fully crossplay compatible, with no rank restrictions for squads as long as you’re all playing on accounts in good standing.
- Spike Rush: The faster, lower-stakes 7-round mode works for crossplay groups too, perfect for quick 20-minute sessions when you don’t have time for a full Unrated match.
- Swift Play: The 9-round casual mode is another great crossplay option, with shorter match times and less pressure than full Unrated games.
- Custom Games: All custom lobbies support crossplay, so you can host scrims, friendly tournaments, or just mess around with weird rule sets with your whole friend group no matter what platform they’re on.
- Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch: All arcade modes, including TDM, regular Deathmatch, and limited-time event modes, are crossplay enabled for mixed platform groups.
The only modes you can’t access with a mixed PC and console squad are Competitive, Premier, and any ranked arcade modes that Riot rolls out for limited events. I tested trying to queue for Competitive with a PS5 friend last month, and the game immediately popped up an error message telling us we couldn’t mix platforms for ranked play, so don’t waste your time trying to work around that rule. Riot has not announced any plans to add crossplay to Competitive queues in the future, either, so don’t hold your breath for that feature.
How Input-Based Matchmaking Works for Crossplay Lobbies
One of the biggest concerns PC players have about crossplay is going up against controller players with aim assist, and vice versa for console players worried about the faster reaction times of mouse and keyboard users. Riot solved this issue with input-based matchmaking for all crossplay lobbies, which means your lobby will be populated with players of similar skill level no matter what input method they use. If you’re a controller player on PC, for example, you’ll be matched with other controller players, even if you’re on the PC platform. That means you don’t have to worry about being placed in a lobby full of top-tier mouse and keyboard players just because you’re playing on PC with a controller.
When you squad up with a mix of PC mouse and keyboard players and console controller players, your entire lobby will be placed in the crossplay input pool, which is a separate queue that only includes other mixed input squads or players who have opted in to crossplay. The skill matching here is still based on your individual MMR, so you won’t be matched against players way above or below your skill level just because you’re playing crossplay. I’ve noticed that queue times for mixed input squads are usually 1-2 minutes longer than single-platform queues, but that’s a small trade-off to be able to play with all your friends. Just don’t be surprised if you wait a little longer than usual to get into a game, especially if you’re playing during off-peak hours.
Tips for Smooth Crossplay Sessions With Mixed Platform Groups
After months of testing crossplay with my own mixed friend group, I’ve picked up a few tips that will help you avoid common frustrations and make your sessions as fun as possible. First, make sure everyone in your squad has crossplay enabled in their settings before you try to form a lobby. On console, crossplay is enabled by default, but a lot of PC players turn it off to avoid controller players, so double check that your PC friends have it turned on before you send them a party invite. If anyone has crossplay disabled, you won’t be able to invite them to a cross-platform party at all.
Second, if you’re playing a mode that requires communication, make sure everyone is using the in-game voice chat, or a third party voice app if you prefer. Crossplay voice chat works seamlessly in Valorant, but I’ve had a few instances where console players had their voice chat muted by default in their system settings, so have everyone check their audio settings before the match starts. You don’t want to be halfway through a Bind attack before you realize your console duelist can’t hear your callouts.
Third, be aware of performance differences between platforms if you’re playing competitive scrims in custom lobbies. PC players with high-end rigs will have higher frame rates and lower input lag than most console players, even on current gen consoles, so if you’re playing for prize money or bragging rights, you might want to agree to set frame rate caps or use the same input method to keep things fair. For casual play, though, these differences are barely noticeable, and most players won’t be affected at all. The last thing to remember is that if you run into any crossplay bugs, like not being able to join a friend’s lobby, simply restarting your game will fix 90% of issues. Riot is still patching small crossplay bugs regularly, so occasional glitches are normal, but they’re almost always easy to fix.
At the end of the day, the answer to can pc and console play valorant together is a resounding yes for all casual game modes, as long as you follow Riot’s crossplay rules. You won’t be able to grind ranked together, but there are more than enough fun modes to play with your friends no matter what platform they prefer. The input-based matchmaking system keeps lobbies fair for everyone, and queue times are barely longer than single-platform queues for most regions and time slots. Next time you’re trying to get your whole Valorant crew together, don’t let different platforms stop you – just pick a casual mode, enable crossplay, and jump into a lobby.
