As VALORANT continues to establish itself as a dominant force in the gaming and esports industry, Riot Games is already laying the groundwork for a monumental celebration come 2025—the game’s fifth anniversary.
In an exclusive interview with Jonny Altepeter, lead music supervisor at Riot, he shared the company’s approach to the milestone with Dot Esports, emphasizing the pivotal role that music is playing and will continue to play in shaping VALORANT‘s identity. While he more recently worked on the anthem for Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story featuring two-time Grammy Award-winner Tori Kelly, his team is already looking at the celebration of VALORANT’s fifth anniversary in 2025.
“We want to make that a really big moment for the game and the players,” Altepeter told Dot Esports, explaining how Riot is already “planning out” the event years ahead. This glimpse into Riot’s strategic planning showcases its commitment to creating memorable experiences for players and fans alike across all of the company’s titles.
Since its first anthem collaboration for an esport event, which was 10 years ago for the 2014 League of Legends World Championship, Riot has been planning its major musical moments of the season months ahead—sometimes even years, emphasizing the importance of music in the celebration of the company’s key milestones. Altepeter underscored the impact of this strategic planning, explaining that ultimately it helps Riot make “more impact” with its music.
Riot’s tactical first-person shooter has carved its niche in the esports world with its distinctive identity, including its music selection.
Unlike other titles published by the company, VALORANT‘s brand has been significantly shaped by its gritty sound design, especially outside of the game itself. Altepeter, who worked on bringing songs like Harbor’s anthem “RAJA” to life, highlighted the importance of this unique auditory experience, saying he and his team want to be “extra protective” about how VALORANT’s brand sounds.
The roadmap for VALORANT‘s future is already taking shape years ahead, and Riot’s music department is ready to elevate the celebration of the game’s fifth anniversary to new heights. In 2025, this experience (paired with League’s changing future) will likely attract even more players to the main games in Riot’s array.
