Valorant on Linux: How to install & Play

Running Riot’s first-person shooter presents a unique challenge for anyone not using the Microsoft Windows operating system.

This is because Valorant is primarily designed to be compatible with that operating system as it’s by far the most popular one in the world.

Unfortunately, this leaves out users of popular OS like MacOS and especially Linux with very few options when it comes to playing Valorant in any capacity. 

Can I play Valorant on Linux?

Playing Valorant on a Linux machine can be very challenging since Riot does not officially support Valorant on this operating system.

Linux, known for its robustness and open-source nature, sadly, doesn't natively run Windows-based games like Valorant due to compatibility issues.

Luckily, for Linux users keen on playing Valorant on their current machine, there is a workaround that can make playing Valorant on Linux possible.

How to play Valorant on Linux

Dual boot 

Since the only way to play Valorant is to run it on the Microsoft Windows OS, you have to appropriately adjust your Linux machine to fit this criteria. The best way to do this is to dedicate a partition of your hard drive to install the Windows OS alongside your default Linux.

This allows you to choose between the operating systems that are installed on your machine upon boot, allowing you to pick Microsoft Windows and play Valorant.

If you’re unfamiliar with setting up dual boot on your Linux system, here’s how to do it.

1. Prepare the installation

• Download the necessary files to install, the most common dual-boot software for Linux is Ubuntu which is downloaded as an ISO file
• Create the installation media for Windows by downloading the software
• Make sure to select the accurate drive when mounting this media as it wipes all other data

2. Safe reboot and access the boot menu

• Restart your computer which will trigger the booting process.
• While booting, access the boot menu by using F12 or F8.
• Select the appropriate option between Legacy BIOS or UEFI installations.
• In the boot menu, select the USB drive you want to boot from.

3. Create a partition for your new OS

• Most live environments come with a Gparted partition editor.
• While in GParted, select the disk where you want to create space for Windows.
• Appropriately adjust and resize the disks to create a new partition, set the file system to NTFS.
• At least 50 GB of unallocated space is recommended for the Windows installation.

4. Navigate the Ubuntu dual boot installation

• Boot into the Ubuntu app and complete the installation steps, allowing you to remove the USB stick once completed.
• Ensure that both systems are functioning correctly and that you can switch between operating systems at boot.

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Run Valorant on an external server

If you have another PC in your household that runs Microsoft Windows, you can utilize it as an external server that you can play Valorat on your Linux machine.

The key to linking your two PCs and creating a server on your Windows PC is downloading the latest NoMachine software on both of them.

This is how you can set up Valorant on a different PC:

1. Download NoMachine software

1. First of all, download the NoMachine software from the official website to both of the computers you’re connecting.

2. Connect and authenticate

1. The NoMachine app will provide you with a network address and port required to connect to your Windows external server from your Linux OS.
2. Authenticate the credentials from your Linux which will allow you to see the Windows desktop within one of your Linux windows.

3. Run Valorant

• Once the connection is established, you can control your Windows machine remotely from your Linux OS, allowing you to play Valorant normally

Valorant minimum requirements

Another potential issue when trying to run Valorant could be your hardware specifications which are below the minimum recommended requirements.

Here are the minimum specs required to run Valorant:

• OS: Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit)
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
• GPU: Intel HD 3000
• RAM: 4 GB
• VRAM: 1 GB
• DirectX: Version 11

Why doesn’t Valorant support Linux

Valorant Vanguard

Riot Games' popular first-person shooter, does not support playing on Linux OS or any other virtual machines (VMs) primarily because of its anti-cheat software, Vanguard.

The strict and intrusive nature of Vanguard is the main barrier to Linux compatibility because it demands a high access level to your computer.

It’s called Kernel-Level Access and it’s the main cause of this incompatibility as Vanguard has deep integration with the operating system to detect and prevent cheating.

Riot viewers this level of access as critical for maintaining a fair and competitive environment in the game but in reality it poses significant compatibility issues with the Linux operating system.

Given that Vanguard is ever-present in Valorant and other Riot video games such as League of Legends, it’s unlikely that Valorant is going to be compatible with Linux for years to come.

Linux support

Beyond Vanguard’s technical incompatibilities with the Linux system, several other factors contribute to the lack of Linux support for Valorant in its current phase of development.

The main reason is the current market share of Linux, given that the OS has a relatively small user base compared to Microsoft Windows.

To put things into perspective, only about 2% of the global desktop PC users run Linux, which is a negligible percentage of the market share.

This number does not justify the significant investment Riot would have to make to develop a Linux-compatible version of Valorant for such a small player base.

Instead, the company focuses resources to cater to platforms with larger player bases such as Windows as that results in higher revenues and a happier player base.