After the announcement that Valorant would be coming to consoles, many players were excited about the prospect of playing on these platforms. One of the best features of this proposal is that players using Xbox Game Pass to play Riot Games’ title would receive a few extra benefits.
It seems that users on other platforms, such as the PS5, could also enjoy these benefits if they linked their various accounts. Some players fear this might spark a controversy similar to what happened with Helldivers 2. However, this may add benefits for all the players.
All Players Can use Xbox Game Pass Benefits to Play Valorant
At the last Summer Game Fest, it was revealed that Valorant would be coming to consoles, though no confirmed release date has been given yet. Closed beta access is already available. This isn’t Riot Games’ first venture onto these platforms, and many fans are excited as it could expand the community and bring different types of players to this popular first-person shooter. This particular title has been very popular since its release.
Xbox Game Pass confirmed the game’s arrival with several intriguing benefits. For instance, players will receive an extra 20% experience per match, among other perks.
However, it appears that these benefits won’t be exclusive to Xbox players, as users on any platform could enjoy them simply by linking their accounts correctly. This could stir controversy if the community so desires.
Will It Be a Repeat of What Happened with Helldivers 2?
Practices where one platform has more advantages over another could generate controversy among fans of the Riot Games’ title. PS5 players, for example, could link their accounts to Riot and receive Game Pass benefits without issues.
This isn’t the first game to allow such a feature; Epic Games’ Fortnite allows players to choose their preferred platform while still enjoying benefits from another, thanks to cross-progression, which is common in many live-service games today.
This situation could mirror the conflict with Helldivers 2, when Sony tried to mandate that Steam players link their PlayStation Network account to play on PC. Some fans were very angry; part of the community couldn’t even access the game because Sony has some region restrictions according to the country. The issue escalated more than expected, leading the Japanese company to step back.
Many players worldwide take advantage of localized pricing to pay slightly less for certain games or benefits. Live-service games often require linking accounts across different platforms, a common practice nowadays. For Valorant, these benefits would include access to all agents available to date and every other future agent that releases, all on day one. This is a good strategy to make more players go into this free-to-play game.
What are your thoughts on this possibility? Let us know in the comments!