Meet NetEase's Project M, the Alleged Valorant Mobile Clone

Before the widespread success and popularity that Riot Games' Valorant experiences today, it was once in development with the title Project A.

About a year and some change later, Project M is here the bring the same high-intensity action to mobile for the first time. The only thing is, it's being developed by massive Chinese internet and video game company NetEase instead.

While Riot Games' had already officially announced that a mobile version of Valorant is in the works, it appears NetEase is beating them to the punch with Project M having both a gameplay trailer and a closed beta out at the moment.

In the 30-second trailer, NetEase was not shy in showing off what they had in store, and the characters, maps and abilities undeniably look like they've been ripped straight out of Valorant.

There's an ominous hooded guy who has dark powers.

There's a ice-like wall raised from the ground that players stand on to boost themselves up.

There's a player-controlled drone that gathers intel and pings enemies.

While the guns look like they come from the Apex Legends universe, the archetypes for the Odin, Operator and Sheriff are all there.

Heck, even the green storage boxes and spike are there.

Project M' UI might be the most blatant giveaway, all the way from the agent select screen to the minimap and scoreboard.

At the end of the day, while more competition in video games is great for players, it's tough not to say that this game looks like a straight-up rip-off.

Sure, it's free game for anyone to make a 5v5 competitive, tactical FPS with abilities. But when even the art style is too close to resembling the OG title, there should be no surprise that the chatter around Project M remains pretty spicy to say the least.