League of Legends vs VALORANT: Which Riot Games title is best?

Riot Games has released many titles since its first, League of Legends, back in 2009. Its second game, VALORANT, has only increased in popularity since its release and continues to do so. But, VALORANT vs League of Legends, which game is better? 

We’ve compared both games in terms of gameplay, characters, popularity and esports scenes to help determine which game comes out on top. If you’re looking for your next venture in the world of games, then we can help you decide which is best for you with our comprehensive League of Legends vs VALORANT comparison below. 

League of Legends is an extremely popular MOBA title – otherwise known as multiplayer online battle arena. The basic premise has you compose a team of five by choosing a champion alongside four other players. You then go up against an enemy team as you use spells and attacks to destroy objectives and eventually destroy the enemy base, which is called a nexus. 

Since its release in 2009, League of Legends has become a staple title for millions of gamers worldwide. It was Riot Games’ first release and remained its only game for close to a decade. 

VALORANT is the next major game in the Riot Games portfolio, released in 2020. The game is an FPS, or first-person shooter. It requires you to compose a team of five by selecting an agent. You then jump in, either starting on side A, which requires you to defend certain points and prevent the enemy team from planting the spike – a bomb, or side B, which requires you to try to reach objective points and plant the spike. You switch sides halfway through the game, and each game comprises multiple rounds. 

In terms of gameplay, League of Legends vs VALORANT are two entirely different games. 

League of Legends is a much slower game, with each match lasting anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour. You start off slow as you build up gold to buy more items and level up your abilities; this requires patience. As the game progresses, you slowly become more powerful, as does the enemy, which can lead to more fast-paced team fights, gameplay, and objective-taking. 

While each game wipes the slate clean and starts you back from 0 gold and Level 1, there is a ranked system to track your progress. The lowest rank is Iron, and as you play ranked games, you obtain LP (League Points), which will slowly increase your division. 

In comparison, VALORANT moves at a much faster pace because, despite games being a similar length at around 20 to 40 minutes, each match consists of shorter rounds. A round will last between one and two minutes and consists of you either trying to defend a site or plant a bomb. 

During each round, you collect credits, which you can then spend on better weapons to take into the next round. Each agent has an array of other abilities to use alongside your guns to try to achieve your objective. 

Again, each game wipes your slate clean as you start with a pistol again. However, there is a very similar ranked system in VALORANT as there is in League of Legends, allowing you to gain or lose RR (Rank Rating) in each game and climb the ranks. 

Which you prefer when considering VALORANT vs League of Legends will be based on if you want a MOBA or FPS and whether you want to play a fast-paced game or not.

League of Legends score: 8/10

VALORANT score: 8/10

When comparing LoL vs VALORANT in terms of characters and abilities, League of Legends is the clear winner. 

LoL features over 170 unique champions you can choose from, each with their own unique skillset. In LoL, this consists of three basic abilities, an ultimate ability and a passive ability. This ensures that every single champion in the game feels different, which keeps the game fresh even for long-term players. 

VALORANT, on the other hand, only has 28 characters at the time of writing, otherwise referred to as agents. More are constantly being added to the game, but League of Legends has had a 10-year head start. 

Like in LoL, each agent in VALORANT has its own set of three abilities: a basic, a signature and an ultimate ability. This allows each one to feel different. 

League of Legends score: 10

VALORANT score: 4 

League of Legends has approximately 117 million active players each month, but Riot Games has not published official numbers. There are around 150 million registered users and the game has dipped in popularity since the pandemic, with the peak being around 2021 to 2022 with 152 million active players each month. 

VALORANT is a significantly less popular game with approximately 25 million active monthly players. Again, Riot Games does not publish the official number. The all-time peak of concurrent players was six million. 

League of Legends score: 9

VALORANT score: 4

Given that it’s had over 15 years to establish itself, it only makes sense that League of Legends has a much more developed esports scene. This includes in-depth storylines for organisations and players alike, and a much higher viewership when compared to VALORANT. One thing to note if you’ve not previously watched professional LoL esports, is that it can be quite difficult and intimidating due to the complexity of the scene. 

However, since VALORANT is newer, its esports scene is growing at a much faster rate, with viewers increasing from tournament to tournament. While the esports scene has only been around for a couple of years, organisations have already established themselves. 

League of Legends score: 8

VALORANT score: 6

Overall, based on our VALORANT vs LoL criteria, League of Legends wins the Riot Games showdown. This is due to how established the game has become over the past 15 years, which has allowed for such a wide range of champions to be added, as well as a higher player base and a more developed esports scene. 

VALORANT is still an extremely popular title with a growing player base and amazing gameplay, particularly for those who enjoy fast-paced titles. The esports scene may not be as large as League of Legends yet, but it’s growing quickly enough to catch up within the next few years.