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Video game developer and publisher Riot Games will be launching local VALORANT servers in South Africa, which will be activated on 31 August. The announcement follows its partnership with Carry1st, who will run campaigns to engage with VALORANT players across various cities in South Africa.
After a record-breaking closed beta debut and successful global launch in 2020, VALORANT quickly established itself as a global fan-favorite, emerging as one of the most prominent FPS games available on PC.
Carry1st will provide interactive experiences for fans of VALORANT. With significantly improved latency, South African players can look forward to a seamless experience of the 5v5 tactical shooter game.
“We’re excited to partner with Riot Games to scale the reach of VALORANT in South Africa,” said Carry1st CEO, Cordel Robbin-Coker. “With the introduction of local servers, African gamers can enjoy their gameplay experience on par with players around the world!”
“Serving our global playerbase is a top priority for us at Riot, and this partnership with Carry1st will make meaningful improvements in bringing African players a first-class VALORANT experience,” said Hasan Colakoglu, Head of International at Riot Games. “Carry1st has great local publishing expertise and resources, and we’re excited to deepen our relationship with a company we’ve believed in for quite some time and helped support as part of our Underrepresented Founders program.”
To celebrate the server launch, Carry1st invites gamers to experience VALORANT in-person at Comic Con Africa from 22-25 September in Johannesburg. Players can learn about the game, join VALORANT tournaments, win exclusive giveaways, and more. Fans can also stay tuned to Carry1st social channels for regular updates on events and other exciting news.
News of the locally deployed servers comes off the back of the highly-anticipated VALORANT Champions 2023, the third world championship in the game’s history. This year’s championship, which features a head-to-head battle between the world’s best teams live in Los Angeles, includes a record $2.25-million prize pool.