Riot Games has announced the start date of the upcoming closed beta for Valorant, the studio’s recently revealed tactical hero shooter. Select players will be able to test out the FPS ahead of its planned summer launch beginning April 7.
To register for the closed beta, you must connect your Riot account to your Twitch account, then watch highlighted Valorant streams for the chance to receive closed beta access. While your progress will not carry over into launch, any Valorant Points – the currency used to buy skins and other store items – you purchase will be given back to you at launch with a 20 percent bonus. Riot is currently planning on keeping the closed beta as short as possible, but may reevaluate if it hears unexpected feedback from participants.
The closed beta will initially be limited to the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, and Turkey, but could expand to additional regions depending on how the current COVID-19 pandemic progresses. “Our plan was to bring the Valorant Closed Beta to as many players around the world as quickly as possible, but the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted those plans, compromising a wider global rollout,” executive producer Anna Donlon said in a statement. “For now, we have to focus on the regions where we feel most ready, with more regions following in the months to come.”
For more on Valorant, check out our deep dive on the game here.