Finally, it seems that Riot Games is testing Valorant Mobile. China has started closed beta testing, and the company is slowly leaking some videos. Well, I have to say, this is really a disaster! Valorant’s updated Twitter account was the one that posted the video with the words “WHAT IS GOING ON IN VALORANT MOBILE?!” and to be totally honest, it is only a tenth of the truth. The video shows a player character who is looking like a very exaggerated and distorted version of the agent, a kind of glitchy, wide and nightmare version of the agent. It is not only a bug but a new meme maker altogether.
Players who managed to get their hands on the beta or saw the leaks are acting completely crazy. One of them, Thalryx, even asked for help, saying: “I’ve got it outside China, please help me, I don’t know Chinese.” This is definitely a whole mood. Trying to operate a beta in a language that you don’t understand, while at the same time the game is breaking down, is truly the ultimate hardcore experience. Another gamer named Snackrifice said, “That’s a good development xD. When will this be available on pc?” implying that all these great glitches are regarded as features instead of bugs. Meanwhile, DoubleC was referring to it as “sequel to Wide-joy,” which would be a nod to a famous meme from the PC version. The community is just rolling with it.
Responses are showing a mixture of perplexity, excitement, and pure laughter. Num Nums only posted a collection of crying-laughing emojis, commenting, “bro stop i am crying at this shit.” Already some people are making in-jokes among them. One user, obsessedlotus, when talking about a friend said “AMOR. A REYNA CABECUDINHA,” which means “LOVE. THE BIG-HEADED REYNA” in English. The friend, sanguejar, replied with “cabeçudinha tu foi gentil isso aí é o megamente 2,” which translates as “big-headed is being gentle, that’s Megamind 2.” The Brazilian and Portuguese-speaking communities are very active and keep commenting things like “quero jogar asi” (“I want to play like this”) and “to morrendo” (“I’m dying” from laughter). This hilarity is nothing but pure, unscripted, global reaction.
On the other hand, this is what the early betas are for to find the weird. The game is now in a very limited closed testing phase. The glitches are very funny, but at the same time, they show what exactly Riot needs to fix before a wider release. It is a sign that converting a precise and tactical shooter like Valorant to mobile is a very huge technical undertaking. Hitboxes, controls, performance—all of them must be perfect. To see a character morph into a stretched-out blob is, however, very funny yet it still highlights the necessary work that remains. But gamers are all the more ready for it. The very simple question “Is there valorant mobile ???” from Maini Lotfi beautifully sums up the surprise and demand. Gamers are willing to take the game regardless of the bugs.
What does this say for the future of Valorant Mobile? Probably not that much in the bigger picture. Betas are typically disorganized. However, the reaction is priceless. It’s like the game is giving a shared comedy moment before the serious grind begins. The community does not complain but instead, they create memes. They take the jank as it comes. This only goes to illustrate the great loyalty of the players to the game—they are so much into it that even its viewport is entertaining. They are not merely waiting for their turn to play; they are having a good time with the chaotic rollout. Riot has already hit the market big with the PC version and even the weird find of the mobile side has proven that the need for a mobile version is awake and kicking.
So, to be clear, at this time, Valorant Mobile is somewhat…different. Although that is part of the amusement. Watching a game grow out of such a strange and buggy beginning to being a polished product is like taking a trip. And by checking the tweets, gamers are not only ready to join them on the trip but to also laugh every time an agent’s head gets three times bigger than usual or his body is stretched all over the place. It promises a lot, but in a very, very amusing glitch. Therefore, be alert for leaks because this is just a hint that the way to the launch will be very entertaining and maybe, just maybe, “Big Head Mode” will be kept as an April Fools’ feature. A player can always wish for a version on PlayStation or Xbox.
