Riot has built incredibly rich worlds for bothLeague of LegendsandValorant, but whereLeaguefalters is the lack of direct in-game storytelling. Over the years, despite having a vast lore,League’s storytelling has remained mostly external — through cinematics, comics, or blog posts, rather than interactive in-game events. In fact, most ofLeague’s lore is fragmented across different mediums, including card games, mobile games, comics, and more. EvenArcane, the Netflix series from the franchise starring Hailee Steinfeld wasn’t initially canon.
This has led to frustration among players who want to see world-building integrated into the gameplay itself.Valorant, too, needs to avoid the narrative neglect seen inLeague of Legendsby integrating more story-driven content, especially with the upcoming Unreal Engine 5 upgrade and “new playable experiences.” The franchise believes that the devs have squeezed out all they could out of Unreal Engine 4 and so the shift to Unreal Engine 5 will enhance its gameplay in multiple ways. This could be a great opportunity to correct this little lore oversight so the community can begin to build a deeper connection with its favorite agents and the game’s story.
Valorant’s Existing Lore Is Rich Yet Fragmented
Valoranthas deep lore with a well-developed backstory that includes the conflict between Alpha Earth and Omega Earth, the involvement of Radianite as a powerful energy source, and the presence of organizations like Kingdom Corporation.Riot Gameshas built a foundation for this lore and there are subtle hints dropped throughout the game.
For instance, each agent has a unique backstory and motivation for joining the Valorant Protocol, and there are hints at larger narratives involving different regions and factions within the world. SomeValorantmaps, like Split and Bind, feature the logo and structures of Kingdom Corp, suggesting their presence and influence across the world. Several agents have specific ties to the maps. Phoenix, for instance, comes from the UK and has ties to the Kingdom’s influence and Viper has personal ties to the events happening in the Icebox map, which is another Kingdom facility located in the Arctic.
Valorant’s Lore Elements Are Dropped in Small Pieces and Are Not Engaging Enough
Despite the richness of the lore, much of it is not directly tied to the gameplay.Valorantplayersoften have to look outside the game, through external media like comics, blog posts, or cinematics to be able to fully understand the story. Although they’re occasionally hinted at through agents’ voice lines, map designs, or cosmetics, there isn’t a cohesive or continuous story progression within the game itself.
How Valorant Can Atone for a Lack of Story Events Through Unreal Engine 5
The franchise has already hinted that the gameplay would change moving forward so one way Riot could plan way forward is by introducing live, story-driven events using Unreal Engine 5’s ability to render dynamic environments in real-time. These could take the form of missions or game modes where players participate in pivotal lore moments, like defending against Omega Earth incursions, and unite the community with a more succinct representation ofValorant’s lorein-game.
Another way this can be done is if maps could evolve over time to reflect the progression of the lore. For instance, if a key facility is attacked in a story event, that damage could possibly remain visible on the map in future matches as a tangible connection to the lore.
