Is Riot’s digital Valorant event happening on Friday?

When the two live Valorant gameplay test events were cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns, the creators who had been invited were told that a digital alternative was in the works. With no more news from Riot since then, fans have been speculating when this is likely to happen.

It seems though, that streamers may have let something slip. Clips from a number of creators suggest that Friday, March 27, may be the day of this event. Many creators have talked about having something “important” to do this weekend that they can’t stream.

Tim “TimTheTatman” Betar, Felix “xQc” Lengyel and TSM Fortnite star Ali “Myth” Kabbani are amongst those who seem to be busy on Friday. All of them have expressed an interest in playing Valorant when it’s out.

Adding to this, Counter-Strike pro Owen “Smooya” Butterfield was recently asked why he hasn’t played Valorant yet. His response was “No it’s not ready yet, in like 3 days I can play it, I think I’m gonna try”. This lines up well with what everyone else has said, and also with ex League of Legends player William “Scarra” Li’s theory that something would happen before the end of March.

So, what exactly would this event be? Well, the primary purpose is for Riot to capture gameplay, probably to be used in promotional footage. This also gives prominent creators a chance to experience Valorant, and keep their communities hyped about its launch.

If we are being optimistic, it is possible that even if the players themselves aren’t allowed to stream, that there will be some sort of official Riot broadcast. Some people are even hopeful that this event would coincide with the release of a closed beta, and that a few lucky gamers would get a chance to try it out. Best practice would be to keep your expectations low, but our fingers are still crossed.