VALORANT Hints At Adding Controller Support
You asked for it, but have you got it? Although VALORANT has only been out for five months, there have been repeated calls for Riot Games' first-person shooter to add controller support for those of us who play using one.
While there's a huge argument for games including VALORANT, and rivals like Apex Legends, being played with a controller, there's no escaping the fact that most of us stick with the tried-and-tested keyboard and mouse setups PCs were designed with. However, with many of us opting for console over PC when it comes to modern titles, others are used to flicking their analog sticks instead of clicking a mouse. With this in mind, there are continued calls for controller support to become a staple feature.
Are we getting VALORANT controller support?
Cross-platform play has become pretty standard in shooters like Call of Duty: Warzone, and with the boom in popularity, it's fuelled the fire of debate over keyboard and mouse versus controller, and what the wider fanbase is more used to playing with. The controller camp will argue they're more comfortable and offer aim assist, while the keyboard and mouse side champion precision.
While most first-person shooters offer controller support, VALORANT's freshman status means it isn't something Riot has tackled yet. According to @ValorLeaks, there's potential controller support buried in the back of the game's code. References to Right Analog Deadzone, Right Analog Sensitivity X, and Right Analog Sensitivity Y definitely point toward controller support, but the question is, when?
Do players want controller support?
An argument against possible controller support was made in a reply from @Yehty_, who pointed out controller support is already in play in Spectator Mode. They wrote, "There’s very light controller support for the spectator client. I’ve been using it for observing the last week or so. Idk if that’s what these lines could be referring towards".
With most VALORANT players still opting for keyboard and mouse over controller, there are also questions over whether controller players would be in the same matchmaking queue as everyone else or added to a separate playlist.
Whatever is going on, the winds of change are prevalent in VALORANT right now. After the disastrous 1.11 patch had to be rolled back, devs have already confirmed public test servers will be coming in 2021. With Riot continuing to refine the experience across the board, controller support could be the icing on the cake.
Riot is yet to confirm whether the controller support rumours are just wishful thinking, so let's stick a pin in this one for now. Either way, as we enter the next generation of games consoles and more powerful PCs, expect developers to have a "riot" on their hands if VALORANT doesn't introduce controller support at some point.
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Images via Riot Games | Unsplash Lenzil Gonsalves