At the ChinaJoy 2025 conference in Shanghai, Riot Games and Tencent unveiled a wealth of information about VALORANT Mobile, including its Chinese release date set for August 19. From new game modes and player counts to playable agents, the new title is making headlines.

After several months of beta testing, VALORANT Mobile will officially launch in China on August 19, with no word yet on a global release. This decision largely reflects Riot Games’ strategy to prioritize this massive market, as well as the complexity of Chinese gaming regulations. For foreign games aiming to enter the market, it can take months, even years, to gain approval. For example, the PC version of VALORANT took three years to obtain its license and was officially released in China in July 2023.

Details about the release

Alongside the release date, the convention also gave Riot Games the opportunity to reveal a wide range of launch content. The mobile version will offer 10 game modes, including staples such as Competitive, Spike Rush, Deathmatch, and many new additions. As for maps, players will have access to seven playable maps at launch for the core mode, plus two original maps exclusive to the Team Deathmatch mode.

Developers also confirmed that 18 agents will be available at launch, fewer than the PC version, which currently features 27. Every absentee from the initial mobile lineup include KAY/O, Fade, Harbor, Gekko, Deadlock, Clove, Vyse, Tejo, and Waylay. Among the most recent agents, Iso will be part of the launch roster — likely due to his Chinese origins in the game’s lore, just like Sage.

Unsurprisingly, Riot and Tencent also announced major investments in the game’s competitive ecosystem and the game itself. According to visuals shared during the conference, they plan to invest around 1.5 billion yuan — approximately $200 million — over the next three years to support the growth and development of VALORANT Mobile.

Finally, Riot Games also provided an update on the number of pre-registered players for the Chinese beta, revealing that they’ve surpassed 60 million pre-registrations.

Thanks to hesketh2 on X and 无畏糕糕不怕困难 on Weibo.