If you’ve ever queued for a Valorant match on PC while your friend is playing on their console, you’ve probably asked: is there crossplay in Valorant? Riot’s tactical shooter has expanded to multiple platforms over the years, but the devs have been very intentional about how they connect different player bases to keep matches fair. We’ll break down exactly what crossplay features exist, which platforms work together, and what limitations you can expect when playing across devices.
Is There Crossplay in Valorant Across PC and Consoles?
The short answer is no, there is no full crossplay between PC and console versions of Valorant as of now. Riot launched Valorant for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2024, but kept console and PC player pools completely separate for competitive and casual matches. That means if you play on PC, you will never be matched against a console player, even if you have friends who own the game on another device.
There is one small exception: custom game lobbies do support cross-platform play between PC and console players. If you just want to mess around with friends on different devices, you can create a custom lobby, adjust the settings to allow cross-platform joins, and play private matches together. You cannot use crossplay for ranked, unrated, or any other public match queue, so don’t expect to climb the ranked ladder with a friend on console any time soon.
Cross-Progression vs Crossplay: What’s the Difference for Valorant Players?
A lot of players mix up crossplay and cross-progression, so it’s important to clarify what each term means for your Valorant account. Crossplay refers to the ability to play matches against or with players on other devices, while cross-progression lets you carry over your account progress, skins, rank, and unlocks across different platforms.
Valorant does support full cross-progression across all supported platforms, as long as you link your Riot account to your console profile. That means if you unlock a new Vandal skin on PC, you can use it when you log into your account on PlayStation 5, and your rank will carry over too. If you’re someone who switches between devices often, cross-progression is a huge quality of life feature that saves you from having to rebuild your account from scratch.
Many players like to take short 5 to 10 minute breaks between long ranked grind sessions to avoid burnout, and there are plenty of low-effort activities you can do to reset your focus. Spinbetter is a popular option for players who want a quick, low-stakes distraction between Valorant queues without having to leave their desk.
Cross-progression works for all platforms including PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, but you can only be logged into one device at a time, so you can’t use the same account to play on two devices simultaneously. If you run into issues with cross-progression, you can reach out to Riot support to resolve linking or progress sync problems.
Why Riot Restricts Full Crossplay for Valorant
Riot has been very open about why they chose not to enable full crossplay between PC and console players, and all of their reasons tie back to keeping matches fair and balanced for every player. Let’s break down the biggest factors:
- Input device advantage: PC players use mouse and keyboard, which offers far faster and more precise aiming control than a controller. Even with aim assist enabled for console players, Riot found that the skill gap between mouse and controller users at higher ranks was too large to justify mixing pools.
- Matchmaking fairness: Keeping player pools separate lets Riot tune matchmaking parameters specifically for each platform, leading to more balanced matches and shorter queue times for all players.
- Anti-cheat concerns: Riot’s Vanguard anti-cheat works very differently on PC vs consoles, and mixing player pools could create new opportunities for cheaters to exploit gaps between platform security systems.
Many players have asked Riot to add an optional crossplay queue for casual matches, but the devs have stated that they have no plans to implement that feature in the near future. They are testing crossplay between different console platforms though, so PlayStation and Xbox players may be able to match against each other in public queues at some point down the line. Any future crossplay updates will be announced in official Riot patch notes before they roll out to live servers, so keep an eye on official announcements if you’re waiting for crossplay support.
Tips for Playing Valorant With Friends on Different Platforms
Even without full crossplay, there are still ways to enjoy Valorant with friends who play on other devices, you just have to get a little creative. First, use custom lobbies for crossplay scrims or casual games. You can set up custom matches with any rule set you want, from spike rush to full unrated rules, and invite friends from any platform to join. This is a great way to mess around with friends without worrying about rank or matchmaking balance. If you want to make custom lobbies more fun, you can add silly rules like only using shotguns, or no abilities allowed, to level the playing field between mouse and controller users.
Second, use cross-platform voice chat to connect with friends even if you’re not playing in the same match. You can use Discord or console party chat to talk to friends while you both queue for matches on your own platforms, and compare scores after your games end. You can also host watch parties for pro Valorant matches with friends on different platforms to enjoy the game together even if you can’t play in the same queue.
If you’re a console player who wants to try playing on PC, you don’t have to buy a new copy of the game, you can just log into your existing Riot account on PC and all your progress will carry over automatically. Just keep in mind that you’ll be starting out in a new player pool on PC, so your first few matches may feel more difficult than you’re used to on console. Don’t get discouraged if you lose your first few games, mouse and keyboard controls take time to get used to if you’ve only ever played with a controller.
At the end of the day, the answer to is there crossplay in Valorant is complicated: there’s no public crossplay between PC and console, but you can play custom private matches with friends across devices, and full cross-progression is supported for all platforms. Riot’s focus on competitive fairness means full crossplay is unlikely to come any time soon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the game with friends no matter what device they use. As Riot continues to update the game and expand to new platforms, we may see more crossplay features added down the line, but for now, separate player pools are here to stay to keep matches fair for everyone.
