How to Change Valorant to Chinese Language: A Complete Guide

Valorant supports multiple languages, and switching to Chinese — whether Simplified or Traditional — is entirely possible. Whether you're learning Mandarin, playing with Chinese-speaking friends, or simply prefer the interface in Chinese, the process involves a few specific steps that differ depending on your region and game client. Here's what you need to know.

Why Valorant's Language Settings Work Differently Than Most Games

Most PC games let you switch languages directly from an in-game settings menu. Valorant does things a little differently. Because Riot Games operates separate game clients for different regions, language availability is tied to your regional client, not just a dropdown menu inside the game.

This means changing to Chinese isn't always as simple as opening Settings → Language → Chinese. Depending on where your account was created and which client you're running, your options vary significantly.

There are two distinct Chinese language options:

• Simplified Chinese (简体中文) — Used in mainland China
• Traditional Chinese (繁體中文) — Used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other regions

Understanding which one you want, and whether your current client supports it, is the first real decision point.

Method 1: Changing Language Through the Riot Client (Global Regions)

For players on the global Valorant client (Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific), language options are managed through the Riot Client, not inside the game itself.

Here's how to change it:

1. Close Valorant completely if it's running.
2. Open the Riot Client (the launcher, not the game).
3. Click the profile icon or the settings gear in the top-right corner.
4. Select Settings from the dropdown.
5. Look for the Language option under the General or Region tab.
6. Choose your preferred Chinese variant from the available list.
7. Restart the Riot Client and launch Valorant.

⚙️ The available languages in this list depend on your account's registered region. Some regions do not have Simplified Chinese as an option because that variant is handled by a completely separate platform.

If you don't see a Chinese option in your Riot Client settings, that's not a bug — it reflects what's licensed and available for your region.

Method 2: Launch Argument Method (Advanced Users)

For players who want more control, or whose Riot Client doesn't surface the language setting cleanly, you can force a language using a launch argument.

1. Right-click the Riot Client shortcut on your desktop.

2. Select Properties.

3. In the Target field, add the following at the end of the existing path (outside the quotation marks):

   • For Simplified Chinese: --locale=zh-CN
   • For Traditional Chinese: --locale=zh-TW

4. Click Apply, then launch through that shortcut.

This method works for many players on global clients and is a common workaround when the in-client language selector doesn't include Chinese. Keep in mind this is modifying how the launcher starts — it doesn't alter your account or game files in any permanent way.

Method 3: The China-Specific Valorant Client 🇨🇳

Mainland China runs a separate version of Valorant operated by Tencent, not Riot Games directly. This client is called Valorant CN (sometimes referred to by its Chinese branding). It is:

• Only available to players with a valid Chinese national ID verification
• Operated on separate servers with different account systems
• Not cross-compatible with global Riot accounts

If you're located outside of mainland China, accessing this client is not a straightforward process. It requires a Chinese account, and the platform operates under different terms of service and age-verification requirements.

For most international players, this route isn't practical — and attempting to use it outside its intended region may conflict with Riot's terms of service.

What the Language Change Actually Affects

Switching Valorant to Chinese changes several elements:

Voice lines are a separate consideration. Changing the UI language to Chinese does not automatically switch voice acting to Chinese. Voice language is usually set independently — look for a Voice Language option separate from the Text Language setting in Riot Client preferences, where available.

Variables That Affect Your Experience

The outcome of switching to Chinese in Valorant depends heavily on a few factors specific to your setup:

Your account region is the biggest variable. Accounts registered in North America, Europe, or Southeast Asia have different language pools available. What works for a player in Taiwan may not be available by default to a player in the United States.

Your operating system language can sometimes interact with how the Riot Client detects preferred language settings, particularly on first install.

Whether you want UI language, voice language, or both changes which steps are relevant. Some players only want menus in Chinese while keeping English voice lines — others want the full experience.

Client version and updates can shift where settings are located. Riot occasionally moves options between updates, so the exact location of the language selector in the Riot Client may shift slightly from what's described here.

The combination of your region, account type, and what exactly you want changed means the process looks different for different players — even when the goal is the same.