Making a game like Valorant requires teams to understand what makes the game unique. Valorant is a competitive team-based FPS shooter, and it’s part of the equally competitive shooter game genre, along with Apex Legends, Overwatch, and Marvel Rivals. There are a few key components that separates Valorant from its competitors, however.
Valorant’s foundation comes from Counter-Strike’s gameplay, featuring tactical gunplay, movement and shooting accuracy, and economy. It distinguishes itself from CS by introducing Agents and roles, which is more similar to Apex Legends and Overwatch. Making a game like Valorant means that teams need to build on these elements but also find ways of making their game stand out.
There’s a risk to making a game similar to Valorant, however, as AAA competitive shooters are costly to make. To help the chances of making a successful Valorant-like game, read on to learn how to assemble a development team, create a game design document focused on Valorant, develop core mechanics, design unique character abilities, build and texture maps, implement a multiplayer networking system, integrate an anti-cheat solution, create a Valorant-like user interface, compose sound effects and background music, test and balance gameplay, and optimize the game’s performance.
1. Assemble a development team
Assemble a development team that’s at least mid-sized and includes designers, programmers, artists, an audio department, and production department to make a game like Valorant. A mid-sized development team ensures the studio is able to continue releasing new content at a rapid pace, keeping the game interesting and relevant in a competitive video game genre.
Recruit key designers such as gameplay, level/map, and progression designers to focus on the essential elements that make Valorant unique from other FPS team-based shooters similar to it. A gameplay designer focuses on creating the core ways in which a player interacts with the world, and the world interacts with the player. For Valorant, that means the different game modes and rules that govern how a match runs. A level/map designer focuses on designing maps and levels that offer players the chance to form strategies based on the map’s layout and objective areas. A progression designer determines how player characters advance, and the type of rewards that players receive when hitting milestones.
Build a team of programmers, such as networking engineers and gameplay developers to turn game design ideas into functional pieces of code when assembling a team. Two key elements of a game similar to Valorant are online functionality and gameplay. A networking engineer handles the online aspects of the game, ensuring that the game works online, while reducing cheating and exploitation. Gameplay developers focus on turning the ideas created in the design process into functional mechanics that enable the player to interact with the world via inputs.
Bring together a team of artists that focus on creating iconic character models and stylish environments. Valorant uses an art style that uses clean lines and cel-shaded elements with vibrant colors. A game similar to Valorant must hire artists who are able to replicate the style. Character model artists must make characters who follow the same vibrant colors in their clothes with unique silhouettes. Environmental artists focus on creating buildings and props to fill levels, relying on these elements to provide environmental storytelling while blocking out the level naturally.
Choose an audio department that supports fast-paced music and satisfying SFX to drive the action in the game and make it feel responsive to the player’s interactions. Valorant uses a fast-paced soundtrack that makes the action feel more intense, especially during the last few minutes of a match. A composer who excels in combat-focused and battle royale themes is an ideal choice to capture the same type of tense musical tracks. SFX designers play an important role in making every shot and use of an ability feel more satisfying, thanks to those moments having a pleasing sound that accompanies them.
Hire a production department when assembling a development team, such as a project manager and QA testers when making a game like Valorant. Project managers ensure that the various departments remain on schedule, helping teams communicate their needs to one another. QA tests are essential for testing gameplay and other aspects of the game, so designers and developers are able to refine the game immediately. A game similar to Valorant has a lot of moving parts in a studio, so having project managers and QA testers helps the game’s development run as smoothly as possible.
2. Create a game design document
Create a game design document that includes sections for the game concept, monetization, mechanics, player character information, maps and level design, and UI to make a game like Valorant. A game design document helps keep the team aligned on the game’s overall design, which aids game development in later stages, too. The GDD changes over time, so ensure that there’s a space for updates to keep everyone aware of the latest iteration of the game.
Describe the game’s concept in a game design document. A game concept is a one-page summary of the core loop, the target audience for the game, the game’s hook or USP, and how it intends to make money. The game concept is typically the first or second page of a GDD, and is used to give investors and publishers an idea of what the game is all about during a pitch for funding. For a game similar to Valorant, the game concept must include elements such as the plant/defuse core loop, the specific audience for the game, what makes the game similar to but also unique from Valorant, and its monetization strategies.
List and explain the different ways that the game intends to monetize on the game design document. In greater depth than in the game concept, list out how the game intends to earn money, such as using a free-to-play model with battle passes or cosmetic stores. For a game similar to Valorant, consider the money earned through eSports, too. Valorant relies on cosmetic sales and eSports as its monetization strategies.
Write down the mechanics used in the game on the game design document. Mechanics that heavily feature in Valorant include gunplay and movement, round economy, and different game modes. A game similar to Valorant must have some of these mechanics, albeit with changes that make them unique. In the game design document, explain how these mechanics work and whether they influence other mechanics.
Provide a detailed explanation and character portrait, if available, of the player characters in the game in the game design document. In Valorant, the player characters are referred to as Agents. Each has their own abilities, roles, and provide different types of synergies with other player characters. For a game similar to Valorant, include the character concepts, their backstories, and the roles they have in the game.
Draw level or map concepts in the game design document to provide a basic overview of how each level or map appears. In a FPS team-based shooter such as Valorant, the game relies heavily on its level design. Well-designed levels allow players to strategize without the level getting in the way. Including sketches helps developers and artists understand the challenges that each level presents, especially when using vertical play.
Include a spot for UI design in the game design document that lays out a sketch of the proposed user interface for the game. In a game similar to Valorant, the UI must be simplistic and clearly laid out. Players must be able to glance at the UI and receive the information they need immediately, so they’re able to focus back on the action happening before them. A sketch of the UI gives a clear direction for UI artists and developers on what the design team expects.
3. Develop core mechanics for shooting and movement
Develop core mechanics for shooting and movement to make a game like Valorant by focusing on high-lethality and accuracy, movement inaccuracy, and counter-strafing. Shooting and movement are core mechanics in Valorant, requiring players to learn and master both to rank high. A game similar to Valorant must make shooting and movement its core mechanics, too, especially when wanting to compete in a saturated market. According to Newzoo, shooter games are the most popular genre on PCs, so while the market is saturated, a game that masters its core mechanics has a chance of finding commercial success.
Ensure that certain weapons offer even beginners a chance at performing high-lethality shots when developing core mechanics for shooting and movement. Beginners in Valorant must have some chance of competing with others who have spent hours in the game. Valorant succeeds with this by making the Frenzy and Spectre weapons more lenient when it comes to moving and shooting accuracy. Onboarding new players is an essential part of developing core mechanics, so a game similar to Valorant must have weapons that offer the same leniency.
Movement is a core mechanic in Valorant that makes it stand out from other FPS shooter games, which means a game similar to Valorant must focus on movement, too. I have not worked on an FPS for personal reasons, but I’ve witnessed some amazing teams work on new FPS titles. From Apex Legends masters to some of the folks who developed Valorant, they spent an enormous amount of time figuring out what made their gameplay memorable and unique. Valorant built atop the structure and tactical nature of Counter-Strike. The hero powers came later. They figured out their core gunplay first.
Similarly, the creators of Titanfall figured out the novel movement mechanics through months of exploration and iteration, creating an experience where players were able to fight giant mechs even as a tiny human. This phase cannot be skipped and is an essential part to iterate on and improve until the very end. In regards to movement inaccuracy, guns in Valorant become highly inaccurate as the players move. A game that seeks to be similar to Valorant must adopt a focus on movement, albeit iterating on it in a way that makes the relationship between movement and accuracy unique.
Implement counter-strafing when making core mechanics for shooting and movement. Counter-strafing is a key part of a player’s strategy when going up against an enemy in Valorant. Tight movement controls, allowing the player to immediately stop after releasing the A/D key, enables counter-strafing. A game similar to Valorant must have the same tight movement controls to allow players to master movement and shooting accuracy.
4. Design unique character abilities
Design unique character abilities to make a game like Valorant by using classes or roles, keeping the abilities focused on gunplay, tying them to a character’s theme, using Valorant’s ability structure, and balancing the abilities to keep the gameplay fun and fair. I played Overwatch briefly back when it was still called Titan. Back then, the most compelling part of the experience, and what I really was glad to see survived, was the extreme richness of the various classes. The Rewinder, the Mechanic and the Knight all survived in the form of specific heroes, Tracer, Torbjörn, and Reinhardt. Each tried to have a set of core abilities that were extremely distinct from one another, with their unique powers and situations where they were overpowered. This is essential in any character based game. Don’t water down the designs!
Use classes or roles to define character types, which then helps determine character abilities, such as what Valorant does with its Agent roles. Valorant uses four roles named Duelist, Controller, Initiator, and Sentinel, with each role having a specific use-case. The different Agents, or characters, fall into each of these roles, bringing unique abilities and ultimates to set them apart and make some Agents work well with others. When creating a game similar to Valorant, design a few key roles first, then start individualizing with unique characters.
Create character abilities that enhance the existing gun gameplay core mechanic. Character abilities must create opportunities for players to make certain moves or actions. Designers must consider how the character abilities improve gunplay or counter another character’s gunplay. A Controller character is able to use their character ability to offer space control, allowing their teammates better equipped for combat to take advantage and remove enemies, for example.
Consider a character’s theme to make abilities that make sense for their backstory or skillset. Valorant created unique and interesting character backstories to tie their characters to their abilities. Brimstone is a military veteran from the United States in Valorant, who relies on his past experiences to help his team better control the map, both through his abilities and his role as a Controller. A strong theme makes the characters memorable and interesting to play, abilities aside.
Use Valorant’s ability structure to design a game similar to it by making purchasable basic abilities, providing signature moves, and an ultimate. Valorant uses an ability structure that requires players to strategize economically. Players need enough currency to purchase abilities and weapons between each round, with some of those abilities potentially winning the match for them. Valorant uses signature moves and ultimates to further differentiate their characters from each other, even those in the same role. A game similar to Valorant is able to use this type of structure to create its own ability system that pushes players to strategize and master certain characters’ abilities and ultimates.
Test the character’s abilities through each iteration to ensure balance and fairness. Character abilities must be balanced, ensuring no single character is too overpowered compared to others. Instead, aim for overpowered moments, when a player who has mastered a character’s abilities uses them strategically to help their team win. The only way to check for fairness and balance, as well as to see which characters’ abilities synergize well, is to constantly run them through tests and iterate based on feedback.
5. Build and texture map environments
Build and texture map environments by designing verticality play, spawn symmetry, the spike site, and a defined and unique theme to make a game like Valorant. Map environments are a pillar of a game similar to Valorant in that players are going to spend a lot of time in them. The map must look interesting, provide opportunities for interesting gameplay, and make sense for the overall narrative. A map that takes place in space in a game setting that revolves around the Wild West isn’t quite logical.
Add verticality to any map environment when building and texturing it. Verticality refers to high-ground areas with different heights. Having different heights gives players vantage points where they’re able to track enemy movements and take them down. Verticality forces players to stay alert at all times and to be aware of what’s happening right in front of them as well as what’s going on above them. Valorant uses plenty of high-ground areas in its maps that allow players to strategize and ambush the other team.
Consider where to place spawns when building a map environment to ensure both spawn points are symmetrical. Spawn points refer to areas where players spawn on a map. Both teams must have the same number of spawn points that are equidistant from objective areas. Placing a spawn point for one of the teams a bit closer to one of the objective areas gives them an unfair advantage.
Determine where to place objective areas when building map environments, such as where to place a Spike Site in Valorant. Placing a Spike is one of the game mode objectives in Valorant, requiring one team to set a Spike and defending it, and the other team trying to defuse it. Sites with major objectives such as defending a Spike or bomb must have a large area that features a handful of access points, cover, and lookout points. These areas allow both teams to strategize on the most successful way to defend and attack these areas.
Create a thematic map with textures to give each map a distinct look and story when building and texturing environments. Maps must have distinct themes and POIs to feel distinct from each other. A map’s layout isn’t enough to make a particular map feel different. A theme, such as a map set in a downtown area versus a park, helps build a story, while also making the map interesting to play in. Placing points of interest helps players orient themselves and call out those places to their teams, so they’re able to mobilize and take action immediately. Valorant ensures that each of its maps, such as Haven and Ascent, have distinct looks and themes.
6. Implement a multiplayer networking system
Implement a multiplayer networking system to make a game like Valorant by choosing an appropriate tick rate and reducing animations to reduce latency. A multiplayer networking system for a game similar to Valorant has to focus on performance and reducing lag, while protecting players through anti-cheat systems. Lag kills competitive FPS games since players feel as though their hard work mastering the game doesn’t matter. Lag makes even top players struggle to play at their most optimum.
Use a tick rate that updates the game at rapid intervals, while still maintaining performance for low-end platforms to implement a multiplayer networking system. A trick rate refers to how often the game updates itself. Many competitive shooters use a tick rate at 128Hz, which tends to update around 7.8 milliseconds. Valorant uses a 128 tick rate to reduce what it calls Player Advantage, in which Player A is able to see Player B a few seconds before Player B sees Player A.
Reduce the number of animations used by a player character to increase the performance of a multiplayer networking system. Valorant had a huge cost on the server side when running animations, since its system to calculate whether a shot hit a player or not relied on saving player positions and animation state in a historical buffer. Because of the huge cost, the Valorant team discovered that by only animating every fourth frame, they balanced performance cost with accuracy. For a game similar to Valorant, reducing animations is a powerful way to reduce performance cost and maintain a high-performance multiplayer networking system.
7. Integrate an anti-cheat solution
Integrate an anti-cheat solution such as setting game rules for physics, using kernel drivers to block pre-loaded cheats, and tracking player stats to look for impossible performances to make a game like Valorant. According to Anti-Cheat Expert, shooter games accounted for 61.8% of the total amount of cheating across game genres. In a competitive game, the pressure to cheat is high, but cheating quickly kills a game as players lose faith in the dev team’s ability to get rid of cheaters and remove exploits.
Consider the role physics play when implementing an anti-cheat solution. By making game rules that rely on physics, cheaters face a more challenging environment in exploiting the game. When cheats are unable to bypass physics, the cheating player must face desynchronization to remove them from the game and from further attempts to exploit it. When a player exploits a missing or corrupted collision box to clip through a wall, having a game rule that detects this exploit and punishes the cheater is an example of how physics is a possible anti-cheat solution.
Use a kernel driver to check and block pre-loaded cheats on a player’s system before allowing them into the game. Riot uses Vanguard, which is their kernel driver model. The driver runs at boot and blocks any pre-loaded cheats while scanning a system’s memory and processes during matches. When it finds an exploit or cheat, the driver keeps the player from being able to access the game. After setting up a kernel driver, consider banning hardware IDs for repeat offenders to keep the game free of cheaters. While Riot uses Vanguard for Valorant, other competitive games use third-party kernel drivers such as Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye.
Track player stats to find impossible stats that are unachievable without the use of cheats and exploits to integrate an anti-cheat solution. Tracking player stats is part of a competitive shooter, so compiling the data and having software that flags suspicious stats is simple to set up. Impossible stats such as 100% headshot rates, perfect accuracy, or extremely high KD ratios must be flagged for review. Since some players are wary of software that examines the files on their platform, reading through compiled data related to only a player’s game stats is a less controversial solution.
8. Create the user interface and menus
Create the user interface and menus to make a game like Valorant by designing a minimalist HUD, a stream-lined shop menu, and a comprehensive Agent selection menu. User interfaces in a competitive shooter such as Valorant relies on minimalist design with crisp text fonts. Players need to see as much of their screen as possible, so making the UI scannable and tucked away supports their gameplay.
Design the HUD UI with basic elements to make a user interface that is similar to Valorant’s. A basic HUD UI includes essential information that a player needs to track, such as health, ammo, and a progress bar for when ultimates and abilities are ready for use. Not all HUD elements need to be visible all the time. A health tracker that fades or shrinks from view is effective at keeping the screen clear when a player isn’t healing or getting hurt.
Implement a shop menu that allows players to quickly navigate to the weapons and abilities they want to purchase to create a user interface similar to Valorant’s shop menus. The buy phase of the game is limited, with players only receiving so much time to make purchases for the next round. Having to navigate through a series of menus to find what they’re looking for isn’t helpful. When implementing a shop menu that is similar to Valorant’s, use a carousel with filtered tabs that enable players to quickly search for exactly what they need. Including a section such as recommended weapons or abilities based on stats further helps new players figure out winning strategies.
Create an Agent selection menu UI that highlights each Agent’s unique strengths to make a UI similar to Valorant’s. An Agent selection menu is where players choose the character they want to play. Using a role-grouped carousel with kit previews enables the player to quickly find characters tied to the type of role they enjoy playing, while being able to quickly see the type of abilities and other strengths they offer. Designing the Agent selection menu offers an opportunity to be more creative with UI design, since there’s less pressure to choose quickly versus the in-match buy menu.
9. Compose sound effects and background music
Compose sound effects and background music, such as doppler SFX for combat, spatial audio, ability audio cues, environment ambience, and fast-paced music to make a game like Valorant. Sound effects and music turn a bland competitive shooter game into something that drives tension and makes every use of an ability or shot of a gun feel awesome. Imagine Valorant without its synth-heavy music tracks backing up fights. The game action feels lifeless and dull without audio.
Create doppler SFX for combat to make it sound more realistic and to help steer players toward the action when making sound effects. Doppler refers to sound that drops off across a distance. It makes the sound of a gunshot fired far from the player actually sound as though it is far away. Hearing sound effects with a doppler effect informs the player where the battles are being fought, helping them get to the fight instead of wandering aimlessly.
Include spatial audio to enrich the soundscape of a map, while helping players hear footsteps and movement to help track enemy players when creating SFX. Spatial audio refers to 3D sound, which includes the sound of footsteps. Hearing footsteps is vital for a competitive shooter as it helps players become aware of an enemy player attempting to sneak up on them or charging into the area. Players rely on spatial audio to control areas or to scout out enemy locations.
Include SFX related to character abilities that keep them informed about when an ability is ready or to make the experience of performing the ability even more exciting. Releasing an ability without a sound effect dulls the experience. Some abilities require time or kills to build up, so including SFX and VFX makes the player feel more excited about using them. Valorant uses a chime SFX to inform players when their signature moves or ultimate is ready for use, too.
Make environment ambience loops to further enhance sound effects and background music when making a game similar to Valorant. Environment ambiences must be quiet enough that they don’t detract from the player’s ability to hear cues and footsteps, but they must exist to further enrich the map’s soundscape. The map’s theme must dictate the type of environment ambience that plays. A map set in an urban center must have an ambience with the sound of traffic and other urban noise, for example.
Compose background music that drives players to take action and makes every moment in the game feel tense and high pressure. The music of Valorant features high-octane, fast-paced music with synth elements. As the rounds get closer to ending, the music intensifies, making players feel as though every second counts. When making a game similar to Valorant, use background music that fits the game’s theme and seeks to accompany the action occurring in the game.
10. Test and balance gameplay
Test and balance gameplay by fine-tuning gunplay, balancing ability strength with the economy, supporting team synergy, and iterating based on daily playtests to make a game like Valorant. Balancing a competitive shooter game similar to Valorant is essential to providing a fair game for old and new players to enjoy. When certain elements become too easy to overpower, balancing issues occur, which frustrates players and makes them abandon the game.
Fine-tune gunplay to test and balance gameplay, ensuring that the weapons remain balanced. It’s typical to have weapons that deal headshot damage to be powerful, but not every weapon needs to be accurate enough for headshots. Certain weapon types, such as rifles, are better for headshots than spray-like weapons such as shotguns. The gunplay remains fair when each weapon has its strengths and weaknesses.
Consider how abilities balance with the game’s economy to balance gameplay. In Valorant, players must purchase certain abilities to use in each round. Abilities that are high-powered must be more expensive to purchase than basic abilities, ensuring that the economy balances the gameplay. A game similar to Valorant must use the same structure to prevent players from easily accessing high-powered abilities every round and wiping the map.
Test different character abilities together to determine what characters have synergy, and which ones are too powerful together. Valorant places a heavy emphasis on teams supporting each other, and some characters have abilities that work well together. To ensure these abilities remain balanced instead of breaking the game, test each character and their abilities with other characters to see the type of strategies that form. Teams must iterate carefully with team synergy as Valorant favors team-based work rather than lone wolves one-v-oneing.
Run daily playtests to receive data about what’s working and what needs further iteration when balancing the gameplay of a game similar to Valorant. Designers, developers, QA testers, and even some professional competitive gamers must regularly play the game to feel out any imbalances. It’s challenging to find that data from a theoretical approach, so gaining as much hard data as possible helps the team iterate a lot faster and with a clearer direction.
11. Optimize performance for target hardware
Optimize performance for target hardware to make a game like Valorant by setting target goals, using stylized art, and using game servers as close to the player as possible. High-quality performance is essential for a competitive shooter, as players rely on a smooth experience to play at their most optimum. Valorant places a heavy emphasis on reducing performance costs as much as possible to keep players happy.
Set target goals to know the specifications the team needs to meet when optimizing performance for target hardware. Competitive shooters typically target a stable 60+ FPS on mid-range hardware. Teams that want to maximize their player reach must consider targeting low minimum specs, such as players with platforms that have 4GB RAM.
Use a stylized art style to cut down on expensive graphic costs to optimize performance for target hardware. Valorant uses a stylized and cel-shaded art style that enables the game to avoid using expensive graphics. Removing other post-processing effects typical of a game that uses photorealistic graphics, such as bloom, further reduces performance costs.
Make several game servers available across different regions, following Valorant’s example of offering new server locations in areas with large numbers of players to optimize the performance of the game. Game servers aid in optimizing performance, especially in relation to how far away a player is from a server. When players are far from a server, it takes a bit longer for the player’s platform to receive information from the server compared to players who are close to a server. Valorant uses global servers to increase coverage, while also leveraging Riot Direct, which is its networking backbone to provide stable connections.
How much does it cost to make a game like Valorant?
It costs between $10,000 and $300 million to make a game like Valorant, depending on the size of the team and the complexity of the game. A competitive shooter is in active development for years, with more content released in seasons. Because of its ongoing nature, the studio has to continue to spend resources on the game outside of its initial development. Teams must expect to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make a game similar to Valorant. Below is a list of expected costs of making a game like Valorant based on the team’s size and the complexity of the game.
- $10k: Single person hobby game with out of the box FPS features (1 person x 2 months x 5k avg)
- $50k: Three person indie game with extremely basic features (3 person x 3 months x 5k avg)
- $200k: Four person indie game with a novel feature and modified art (4 person x 10 months x 5k avg)
- $1,000k+: Four person indie game with moderate features and custom art (4 person x 50 months x 5k avg)
- $10,000k: 20 person small studio game with novel features and limited live service support (20 person x 50 months x 10k each)
- $40,000k: 80 person professional studio game with novel features, live service and art (80 person x 50 month x 10k each)
- $300,000k: 300 person AAA studio game with full service, multiple international teams (300 person x 50 months * 15k each)
The two key factors that influence a game’s cost is team size and scope of the game. Larger teams with more experienced employees are going to be more expensive than small teams. A game similar to Valorant requires a large team to put together content for a competitive shooter quickly enough to satisfy players. Content increases the cost of making the game, too. New content takes time and resources to make, and with a game that is ongoing, the cost of creating that content continues to grow.
