Riot confirms Phoenix buffs are coming to Valorant
After months of player complaints, Riot Games has finally confirmed massive Phoenix buffs are coming in the future.
It’s no secret that Riot Games plays a crucial role in shaping up Valorant’s cut-throat meta. The ever-evolving game takes a new form each time a new agent enters the roster. Players must be able to adapt to the changes and switch their playstyle to stay successful in new acts.
But, these meta tweaks also heavily impact the pick rate of each agent, and Phoenix seems to be slacking.
Players have long been complaining about Phoenix’s kit, which is not suitable for the current Valorant meta and gameplay style. Riot has given some hope to Phoenix mains by confirming that the buffs are on the cards.
Is Phoenix getting buffed in Valorant?
During a recent Reddit AMA session, Valorant developer “MEMEME” confirmed that Phoenix is in line to get his kit mended, but it won’t be soon.
WIN.gg previously highlighted
why Phoenix must be buffed to work in the current meta. The agent is a jack of all trades but is barely decent at even one task. He lacks a niche, something crucial to being a successful agent in Valorant.
Naturally, his pick rate fell off, making him the worst duelist in Valorant Episode 4. Phoenix has a pick rate of 1.2% in Valorant, which is remarkably low for a duelist. The other five duelists in Valorant have a map they excel at, but players refrain from picking Phoenix on any location.
Fortunately, Riot has noticed, responding to a player that he’s up for buffs.
“Upfront, yes, we are working on Phoenix, but it is too early for us to talk about details of what it may entail. Unfortunately, we do not have a solid ETA on that, and we want to take the time to find the right long-term place for Phoenix,”
the developer said.
While Phoenix is undoubtedly going to the workshop, he won’t be buffed anytime soon. Players may have to wait an act or two before they can run the fiery duelist in a new form. It’s unknown what changes the developer may make but players want his ultimate to be stronger, considering it’s pretty similar to the basic abilities of other agents.
Whatever the case, Phoenix mains are happy that their favorite agent is finally getting some attention. The duelist may finally become the fiery Radiant he was expected to be.
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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