Riot Games has announced plans to change the prices of its virtual currencies, including VALORANT Points (VP), starting September 18. These changes will affect servers in different regions, with prices going up, down, or staying the same, depending on the area.
To help players adjust, Riot is offering extra bonus virtual currency for purchases made before the price change in regions where prices are going up.
For example, in VALORANT, the 2050 VP bundle that usually includes 1900 VP plus a 150 bonus will now offer 300 bonus VP, for a total of 2200 VP, starting September 4th at 9:00 AM PST.
Note that Korea, Taiwan, and Japan servers have different timelines, which Riot has detailed in their announcement.
Why Is This Happening?
Riot says the changes are needed due to shifts in exchange rates and local economies. They aim to balance currency prices across regions to prevent third-party scams. These scams often involve buying currency cheaply in one region and selling it at a higher price elsewhere.
Riot’s New Pricing: Regional Breakdown
Here are the specific changes for VALORANT Points in different regions:
| Region | Country/Area | Price Change |
|---|---|---|
| Americas | Brazil | +14% |
| Canada | No change | |
| Chile | +22% | |
| Colombia | +6% | |
| LATAM regions with prices in USD | Mixed (-15% decrease or +12% increase) | |
| USA | No change | |
| Asia-Pacific & OCE | India | -6% |
| Japan | +20% | |
| Korea | +14% | |
| Malaysia | +16% | |
| Philippines | +7% | |
| Europe & MENA | Czech Republic | -9% |
| Hungary | +11% | |
| Norway | +12% | |
| Poland | -6% | |
| Romania | +5% | |
| Turkey | +15% | |
| Ukraine | +66% | |
| Regions not listed will not see any changes. | ||
Special Notes for Korea, Taiwan, and Japan Servers
- Taiwan: The Double Bonus Promo will run from September 19 9:00 AM PST (September 20 +8 GMT) until October 3 9:00 AM PST (October 4 +8 GMT).
- Korea: The bonus period will include an extra 10% promo, running from September 4 9:00 AM PST (September 5 1:00 AM KST) until the price change on September 22 8:00 AM PST (September 23 KST).
- Japan: Dates for the price change and Double Bonus Promo will be announced via local social channels later.
Impact on Players
Riot admits that these changes will be tough for players in regions seeing the biggest price hikes. However, they believe these updates are necessary to keep the gaming environment fair for everyone.
In summary, while not all players will welcome these changes, Riot aims to create a fairer gaming experience worldwide. The pre-change bonuses are designed to help players get used to the new prices.
