Riot games like Valorant and League of Legends come to Xbox Game Pass next week

What you need to know

• During the June 2022 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, Riot Games announced a partnership with Xbox Game Pass.
• The collaboration will see popular PC and mobile free-to-play games like Valorant and League of Legends come to all Game Pass subscribers.
• Xbox and PC Game Pass subscribers will earn a ton of in-game rewards and add-ons, such as access to champions, XP boosts, and more.
• On Thursday, Xbox announced that the five Riot Games titles and their Game Pass perks are coming to subscribers on Dec. 12, 2022.

It has been months since Valorant and League of Legends developer Riot Games announced its partnership with Xbox to bring its titles to Xbox and PC Game Pass. On Thursday, a definitive date for the arrival of four hugely popular Riot Games titles was finally revealed: all Xbox Game Pass subscribers are gaining exclusive access to these titles starting Dec. 12, 2022.

Initially revealed during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, five free-to-play Riot Games titles across PC and mobile were announced as heading to all Xbox Game Pass subscribers with unique in-game benefits and perks. Last week, the four PC-bound games began appearing in the Microsoft Store, although they weren't quite available. Finally, as 2022 draws to a close, that's about to change for four of the games (with a new timeframe for the fifth).

From Dec. 12, all Xbox Game Pass subscribers (indicating that Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate memberships are all valid) will be able to connect a Riot Games account and secure the following perks in these Riot games:

• Valorant (PC). The free-to-play, PvP, competitive first-person shooter is heading to the Microsoft Store, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will have access to:
  • All existing Valorant Agents
  • All future Valorant Agents as they release
  • A 20% XP boost across Battle Passes, Event Passes, and Agent Contracts
• League of Legends (PC). The legendary MOBA is also joining the Microsoft Store, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers get the complete package, including:
  • All existing League of Legends champions (over 160!)
  • All future League of Legends champions as they release
  • A 20% XP boost across the entire game
• Legends of Runeterra (PC & mobile). This unique PvP strategy card game can be played across mobile and PC platforms, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will gain:
  • Access to the entire Foundations Set of cards
• Teamfight Tactics (PC & mobile). An auto-battler strategy game with a mobile focus, Teamfight Tactics is granting a rotating bonus to Xbox Game Pass subscribers, including:
  • 1-Star Rarity Little Legends Tacticians
  • 4 Arena Skins available until April 2023
  • 1 rotating Arena Skin available every month after April 2023
• League of Legends: Wild Rift (Mobile). The Wild Rift spin-off of League of Legends reimagines the epic game on mobile devices. While Xbox Game Pass subscribers will have to wait until January to claim extra perks in this game, they will obtain:
  • Access to all existing League of Legends: Wild Rift champions (over 80!)
  • Access to all future League of Legends: Wild Rift champions as they're added
  • 20% XP boost across the entire game

While all Xbox Game Pass subscribers across platforms should be able to redeem these perks, according to Xbox and Riot Games' announcement, that does not mean that any of these titles are heading to console... yet. Titles like Valorant and League of Legends immediately count among the best Xbox Game Pass games solely because of the included in-game benefits with the service on PC, but console players are still left without a way to enjoy Riot Games' catalog of titles.

If there are plans to bring games like Valorant to console, nothing has been confirmed. We'll have to keep waiting to (hopefully) hear more, possibly in 2023. In the meantime, players with a capable gaming PC or smartphone will be able to take advantage of their Xbox Game Pass subscription to squeeze unimaginable value out of the five games listed above.