Why Playing Valorant on PS5 Made Me Miss My PC Setup

Playing Valorant on PS5 made me realize mouse and keyboard will always reign supreme.

A character with a bow is aiming down a pathway in a video game environment, while another character with a gun is positioned in the foreground. The scene is set in a lush, green, and futuristic landscape with buildings and stairs.

Published: Jul 31, 2026, 12:46 pm Updated: Jul 31, 2026, 12:46 pm

Primary Subject: Valorant (Season 2026 Act 4 / Patch 13.02)
Key Update: Riot Games expanded console access for Valorant on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, introducing custom controller layouts and Focus Mode aiming mechanics.
Status: Confirmed
Last Verified: July 31, 2026
Quick Answer: Valorant on PS5 struggles with clunky controller inputs, awkward utility button mapping, and restrictive Focus Mode mechanics compared to precision mouse-and-keyboard PC play.

I started playing Valorant in 2022, during the latter half of the pandemic. I initially played it so my friends would stop begging me to download it, but it quickly rose to be one of my favorite FPS games ever.

So when I heard that it was launching on the PS5, I was ecstatic. The fact that I could play my favorite shooter game in my living room was extremely enticing. Plus, I was glad I would finally be able to play with my friends who owned a PlayStation rather than a PC.

That excitement died down once I queued into a match. That's when I realized why Valorant came out on PC first.

Valorant on the PS5 Sucks

On the PC, Valorant's gunplay feels crisp, instantaneous, and natural. Using the mouse and keyboard felt like second nature to me. I was a fool for thinking playing Valorant on the PS5 would feel the same.

A first-person view of a character aiming a gun in a video game setting, with a character in the distance and a detailed environment featuring buildings and a cloudy sky.

Everything I learned - like not constantly ADS-ing and not crouching for every shot - went out the window. While playing, I was either whiffing every shot I made or fighting the stick resistance just to nudge my crosshair a little to the left.

But what I hated the most was how difficult it was to cast my abilities while running. I kept falling into the pattern of stopping all movement to throw my Sage orbs or Gekko's Wingman. This would, of course, lead to my demise. I found it extremely difficult to keep my thumb on the right stick while also pressing the L1 and R1 buttons to use my utilities - I was tempted to just stop using them altogether.

A character in a video game, equipped with a rifle, aims at an object while standing near a futuristic-looking device.

Remember how I mentioned I learned to stop ADS-ing on PC? It's the total opposite on PS5. On PS5, if you want even a chance to land a shot, you need to enter Focus Mode. This sounds great on paper, but I hated it. I hated how it would slow down my camera sensitivity and how, during heated battles, I would lose just because I wasn't in Focus Mode.

Valorant on the PS5 just felt... clunky. There was never a time when I felt like I was enjoying it because it felt like a fight between me and the controller rathen than me and the enemy. It was exhausting, to say the least.

I understand the appeal of playing Valorant on console - it introduces console players to the popular game. But no amount of aim assists or sensitivity tweaking can bridge the performance gap it has with Valorant on the PC.

For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming news, reviews, features, and guides.