Kingdom Labour is back from vacation, moving crates that have been laying dormant on Icebox for over two years. The new Icebox is much cleaner and allows for more maneuverability across the map.
The icy tundra is the home turf of agents whose abilities shine in maps with high verticality and sky openings. But, Icebox was a pain for other agents who performed better on the terrain. Now, Riot has improved the layout for intel-gatherers, site-breakers, and lurkers.
Spare boxes have been removed, and areas have become more spacious and open in
Valorant Episode 8.
Here are all the Icebox changes coming in Valorant Episode 8.
Icebox changes in Valorant Episode 8
The first change worth mentioning is to the boxes placed near Attacker’s spawn. Riot has stacked another box on top of the previous crate that Jett players would often use to Dash toward the tunnels’ top.
However, this change is less impactful than the crate removal on Green. The alleyway that splits Green into two different lanes was previously sheltered with a massive container, making it difficult for both sides to convert damage into kill. In Episode 8, the container is gone, clearing the view for both sides.
The snow pile on B-mid also looks much cleaner in Episode 8. Another container has been added to block the view of the B-side defenders towards the window area that leads inside the tunnel. This would allow the Attacker to take control of the mid without tackling enemies multiple times.
Finally, the most significant Icebox change out of all is likely the addition of a new window on the tube.
While it may seem like this window favors the defenders at first, it’s tactically placed to help both sides maneuver the map. Attackers inside the tube can pick duels with defenders in mid-container, whereas defender Sage can use this window to strengthen mid-control after blocking the tube with her barrier.
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.
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