Here's your first look at Valorant map Lotus with a new gimmick

Fariha Bhatti Published 07/01/2023

Valorant map nine, dubbed Lotus, has officially been unveiled with a brand new gimmick that would spice up gameplay.

Valorant map Pearl entered the pool without special features, a first for FPS players. Gimmicks set each map apart from another — think teleporters and ropes — adding a fun gameplay twist to the layout. Riot is bringing them back in map nine, Lotus.

Set in India, Lotus is a disputed territory between Alpha and Omega earth. Harbor’s home is on the verge of destruction unless Alpha protocol saves it from the enemies. The Valorant Episode 6 cinematic followed the same storyline and ended on a cliffhanger, which continues in the Lotus trailer shared by Riot.

Valorant map Lotus has revolving doors

Map nine Lotus will have one gimmick and two other unique features to play with. Two revolving doors have been planted across the map, an entirely new mechanism to Valorant. A destructible wall and silent drop will also add variation in gameplay, making Lotus an exciting location for ranked play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbQk_7sFec4

The turnstile gate has tons of potential gameplay-wise. Both sites can execute incredible plays using the doors and move through. One of the doors is placed on A site, which is likely the mid-entrance. The spot of the second door is currently unknown.

The map has some elements of Pearl as well. For example, spawn that opens into a blue river, cheery weather, and ample greenery. Visually, it looks like multiple Valorant maps combined into one. But, layout-wise, it’s primarily similar to Haven.

Lotus will have three bomb sites

Perhaps the biggest twist is Lotus’ three bomb sites. Similar to Haven, players will have to juggle between three sites, and while it’s pleasant news for attackers, Lotus will be back-breaking for defenders. Like Haven, the three sites are directly connected to the spawns, with no clear mid-entrance. All bomb points are also hooked with one another, which will allow defenders to rotate quickly.

This will be the second triple-site map in Valorant. Where some players are upset, most are happy, as this layout boosts the pace in Valorant. Attackers will have fewer chances to rotate quickly, a habit of ranked players that is not encouraged in Valorant. Players may go with the “fake A Go C” approach that seems to work in Haven, but defenders will also come up with new strategies to tackle the old play.

The bomb sites are spacious, and rat corners are few, which means Lotus will encourage players to have aggressive duels. However, it remains to be seen if this map heavily favors attackers like Haven or if Riot has tweaked the three-site layout to balance out the gameplay.

Lotus will become playable on January 10, 2023. A new battle pass, gun bundle, and Split will also enter the game with Valorant Episode 6 Act 1.

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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