Valorant patch 2.02 nerfs running accuracy, changes ranked

Fariha Bhatti Published 02/02/2021

Valorant patch notes 2.02 are finally out with fixes for various bugs, shifts in the competitive ranking, and a running accuracy nerf.

Riot Games has delivered second patch notes after the arrival of Episode 2, which focuses more on tactical aspects on the game. The developer has fixed various bugs, updated the competitive ranking system, and made changes to the game’s weapons.

Notable bug fixes in Patch 2.02

Players have recently discovered various bugs in Valorant including a glitch in Omen’s Shrouded Step and a sound bug in Spike. Patch 2.02 promises to fix the issue where players could silently plant the Spike without leaving a sound cue by opening the minimap. Omen also gets some fixes in patch 2.02 as players may now utilize Omen’s Shrouded Step without hitting objects.

Ranked changes again with new Valorant patch 2.02

Act II ranked changes didn’t sit well with high matchmaking rating (MMR) players who protested that ranking up became almost impossible. Valorant patch 2.02 has updated the ranked rating convergence, which means players will jump to their deserved rank faster than before. The updated system will better analyze players’ performance, allowing them to regain their positions by playing fewer matches.

Valorant revamping rank system, adding leaderboards in Episode 2

“We wanted to be a little conservative launching the new ranked system, but believe in some cases you were having to play too many games to reach your intended rank.” comms associate Jeff Landa said.

This is the developer’s way of ridding the game of the smurfs plaguing lower-ranked matches. After the update, silver players who perform as though they belonged in platinum will move up to a rank that better reflects their skills.

Higher-ranked players were clearly not a fan of new ranked system as they freqeuently complained about being “hardstuck” due to the stringent system’s effects. Riot Games redeems itself in patch 2.02 by introducing bonus points. In this update, players who surpass their own record performance will be awarded extra RR, expediting the process of ranking up.

The developer also resolves the final competitive issue of long queues in patch 2.02. According to various professional players, they sometimes had to wait for hours to find a match in Valorant. The new update promises reduced queue time while maintaining match fairness for players.

Run and gun meta over with running accuracy nerf

Running accuracy has been ruining the in-game experience for competitive players, as brought up by several professional players. To tackle this issue, the developer has tweaked the amount of error in all rifles while running, walking, and crouch-moving. While the changes are enough to reduce run-and-gun meta at long range, the increased aim deviation may not change much in close-ranged fights.

Other updates in patch 2.02

Spike can’t be planted on Sage’s wall on the sites on Icebox anymore.
The developer has fixed the bug where players couldn’t leave Cypher’s camera view or couldn’t move their mouse.
The current leaderboard rank will now display on the career page.
Riot Games has added a rate limiter to the in-game weapon store to keep players from spamming purchases, which often led to performance issue.

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