Wild Rift won’t be following VALORANT or 2XKO to console due to ‘genre popularity’

The wait is, unfortunately, over.

Caitlyn and Vi in Wild RIft.
Image via Riot Games.

Wild Rift will not launch on consoles “at this moment” the producers have declared in response to a spike in speculation and questions from the community, which has only grown louder after other Riot Games titles like VALORANT and 2XKO expanded to console platforms.

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The producer’s announcement, shared on X (formerly Twitter), emphasized that the choice to forego a console launch for the handheld League of Legends game was deliberate. The main reason cited was the need to prioritize mobile development over balancing resources between mobile and console platforms. According to the producer, PapaSmoothie, the MOBA genre has not seen the same level of success on modern consoles as other genres, making the trade-off of splitting the dev team’s focus a little unwise.

Akali and Jinx in Wild Rift Artwork
More and more League characters are jumping into Wild Rift every update. Image via Riot Games

This decision aims to ensure the Wild Rift team can remain dedicated to enhancing the mobile experience. The producer mentioned several upcoming improvements and focus areas for mobile, including better matchmaking, reduced queue times, and game balance adjustments. Additionally, longer-term goals include addressing fundamental mobile issues such as login processes, download speeds, and network stability.

Despite disappointment among console players, the focus on mobile development is expected to bring significant benefits to the Wild Rift community. The dev team said it’s excited about future plans and remains committed to delivering improvements and new experiences.

Originally released in 2020, Wild Rift is a very streamlined free-to-play version of League of Legends. While it retains the core feel of League, Wild Rift features a smaller champion roster, more compact maps, and more flexible mechanics, making it a more casual and accessible way to enjoy League gameplay on the go.

Author
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Elena Baker
Elena is a freelance writer with over four years experience in gaming coverage. A passionate gamer, Elena's particularly fond of Horizon, Resident Evil, Animal Crossing, and League of Legends.