Big Icebox changes are finally arriving in Valorant patch 4.04

Fariha Bhatti Published 01/03/2022

The icy tundra of Valorant’s Icebox map has undergone a massive overhaul and B site barely looks the same.

Valorant patch 4.04 is a big one. Controllers are no longer on the sidelines, and Icebox is bigger and better. The massive changes are set to arrive in Valorant Episode, 4 Act 2 which will also introduce the reworked Yoru. All of this goes live on March 1. The release time of the update will vary between regions.

While Valorant patch 4.04 has numerous noteworthy updates, players are excited about the Icebox rework. The snowy map was criticized for its awkwardly designed B point, which has now been refreshed to suit the game’s current meta. Here are all the changes in the revamped Icebox.

What’s new in Valorant patch 4.04?

Icebox is receiving a long list of changes in Valorant patch 4.04.

B site on Icebox now feels wider and spacious. The developer has tweaked the green and default areas to create more post-plant opportunities. The new changes will heavily impact agent picks on the map.

Changes to the B “green” lane are focused on improving attacker options and making the space more comfortable to play in. The door opened into the alley now leads to a separate cubby, allowing a safer gateway. The green lane has also gotten much wider to minimize crowd control utility damage from the defenders.

The yellow container has also been placed horizontally with the addition of crates stacked. This change should allow yellow to retain some power while adding more value to holding space on the actual site. The default container has also been tweaked to create more space for post-plant positions.

These site changes paired with mid tweaks will allow attackers to get site control and hold their ground effectively. Previously, defenders had an edge on Icebox due to a B-site design that made site takes impossible without Sage and Viper. These changes will boost agent variety on Icebox.

There have been plenty of changes in the mid area as well. The kitchen has become more spacious to enable long-range duels. The under tube will provide maximum coverage to both attackers and defenders in retake situations.

A new crate has been placed on A site as well which will create more exciting duel opportunities on the bomb point. While this overhaul is viable on paper, it is yet to be seen how it plays out in ranked games. So far, it is everything players have been asking for and more.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

View full profile