Riot Games does not publish any official download figures for Valorant. The only available data comes from third-party analytics platforms.
Here's what these estimates really reveal, and who the top players in the scene are in 2023.
How many downloads and players does Valorant have?
Valorant was released in June 2020. This tactical shooter five-on-five online, developed by Riot Games, combines the style of Counter-Strike with agents who have unique abilities.
Thanks to regular updates and new maps, its popularity shows no signs of waning. Since its release in June 2020, the game has continued to gain players every day.
As a private studio, Riot does not disclose download figures. In October 2023, Riot Games reported via Bloomberg a figure of 28 million monthly players, including 70 % from Generation Z. This is the studio’s only official statement; it does not usually share its figures on a month-by-month basis.
Third-party analytics platforms such as Tracker Network, meanwhile, estimate there were approximately 17.2 million active players in October 2023—nearly 1.4 million fewer than in September. The discrepancy is due to methodology: these sites rely on a tracked panel rather than actual login data.
One thing is certain: Valorant continues to grow even after the release of Counter-Strike 2. Its player base is also very young, with a large portion coming from the Generation Z.
It's clear that these free online video games are attracting new downloads every day, which makes it even harder to compile official statistics. To better understand how the Valorant Ranked How it works and how you're ranked in competitive play—it's all explained in our dedicated guide.
By way of comparison, other video games free-to-play Games such as Fortnite and League of Legends face the same lack of transparency from their respective publishers.
Who are the best Valorant players in 2023?
This top 5 list is based on the Official VCT Statistics : VLR ranking, elimination-to-death ratio, and average damage per round.
Max Demon1 Mazanov
Demon1 shone at the 2023 Valorant World Championship. He had already made a name for himself in the Top 5 Players at the VCT Masters Tokyo (where Evil Geniuses finished second), he took it up another notch during the VCT Americas playoffs and then at Champions, in his first season at the highest level.
This player finished at the top of the VLR ranking, with the best eliminations-to-deaths ratio and the most eliminations per round. He also appears in the top 5 the match score, and the second place in average damage per round.
Faced with LOUD in the final of the lower bracket, he recorded 101 eliminations across 5 maps, a record for a VCT international series at the time.
Emir dit Alfajer Beder
Alfajer has established himself as the best player Sentinel in the world in 2023. His style isn't flashy, but he racks up multiple eliminations per round and can defend an entire site all by himself.
During the VCT EMEA regular season, his statistics place him in the top 5 in several categories. He maintained that level at VCT Masters Tokyo, finishing in the top five of the VLR standings on several occasions.
Leo Jannesson
Leo joined Fnatic for the 2023 season, following a successful year at Guild Esports. There, he took on a supporting role as a’Scan Initiator, who was a bit subdued in the early matches, but whose impact grew significantly as the tournament progressed.
This player ranks among the Top 3 in the VLR rankings and the eliminations-to-deaths ratio. His statistics are all the more impressive given that many players near the top have played in only one or two series.
Erick, known as Aspas Santos
aspas has remained in good shape since the Valorant Champions 2022, a competition that LOUD won thanks to him.
He is also the player who led his team to the VCT finals twice. Analysts praise his decision-making, and he was LOUD’s standout player until he left for Leviatán in September 2023.
During the best-of-five series against DRX, he recorded 93 eliminations, virtually unbeatable with the local crowd behind him.
Nikita, also known as Derke Sirmitev
Derke is one of the longest-serving players on Fnatic. In 2022, he competed in nearly all international events and finished in the Top 6 Valorant Champions.
After excelling at Chamber When the agent was dominating the meta, he was racking up a very high number of frags against entry-level Duelists such as Raze and Jett.
He was one of the best Jett from VCT LOCK//IN, MVP of the final won by Fnatic, and the player who played the most rounds with that agent.
Three years after its launch, Valorant It still reigns supreme among online video games. The number of active players continues to climb every day with each update.
If you want to speed up your progress, check out the boosting Valorant as well as on The Best Valorant Sights and the Codes to Get Them.
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