Here are all the Pearl map changes in Valorant patch 5.06

Fariha Bhatti Published 20/09/2022

The latest Valorant map, Pearl, is going under the knife after three months in the competitive pool.

In Valorant Episode 5, Riot yanked Split out of the pool in favor of the underwater utopia Pearl. The small city locked under waves was an instant hit among the fans for its size, aesthetic, and competitive layout. However, some may think Pearl had many unnecessary frills and Riot Games has now removed some of them.

“Pearl is getting a handful of small updates that aim to reduce some complexity and make it easier to move through a few areas for both attackers and defenders,” community lead Jeff Landa said.

In the latest Valorant patch 5.06 updates, Riot Games has decluttered Pearl to make it more maneuverable for both sides. Here are all the recent changes in Valorant map Pearl.

Patch 5.06 changes in Valorant Pearl

While players were mostly satisfied with Pearl’s layout, the developer has still made some final finishes to perfect the utopian landscape. The new update will see some accessory crates and planks removed that may hinder gameplay. Overall, the new update will declutter Pearl to make it appear cleaner and more accessible.

The biggest change has been made to Pearl’s Art and Mid Top. The top area heavily favored the attackers in holding double doors and Art. The defenders couldn’t contest due to ample hiding space. In patch 5.06, Riot has pushed in a wall on Mid Top to remove a 50-50 check. This should make it slightly easier for defenders to challenge mid.

This change directly correlates with Art, where large boxes hinder vision, making it a tricky space to clear. The decluttering simplifies the room, so there are fewer areas to check. On A site, stairs will also see slight tweaks, becoming tighter to help smokers cover the small area. The cubby on the right will also shrink slightly to keep it from being too deep.

Towards the B site, the key change is the main side wall. Previously, the tall wall would reduce the chances of attackers dealing body damage. The size reduction will allow defenders smart control while making it easy for attackers to contest this area.

Several tweaks have been made to the crates and boxes inside B-link. This particular space was highly dangerous without specific agents. Defenders could quietly slither in and hide in corners that have now been removed. The double crate at the farther end of the link favored attackers and they have also been changed.

Overall, the tweaks aren’t precisely game-changing, but they will positively impact the gameplay on Pearl. Removing unnecessary stockpiles will make Pearl simpler to play while ensuring it’s still a competitive location.

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