Weird Valorant audio bug is confusing players on Ascent

Fariha Bhatti Published 30/06/2021

Valorant players have come across a weird audio bug on map Ascent that could potentially be game-breaking in ranked matches.

Sound is key in tactical shooters for gathering information that teams can action on. A player discovered that you can mislead enemies on Ascent by walking on the ledge of the catwalk.

Patch 3.0 was a big one that added a new agent, overhauled the economy, and changed a lot of weapons. However, all of these changes came with multiple bugs. Players have reported several glitches in Valorant since the latest update, but this new one takes the cake.

Reddit user cocoloco reported that the metallic catwalk ledges on Ascent are not producing appropriate sounds after the new patch. The footsteps on Ascent’s metal have unique audio, which helps in pre-firing from A garden and short. However, the latest patch changed that to grassy footstep sound effects for those traversing the ledge. The game is likely mixing the audios of two different grounds, which favors players those who are trying to clear catwalk.

This bug can be game-breaking in high-ranked matches where players heavily rely on footsteps and audio cues. While low-ranked players won’t care much about the audio coming from unknown sources, it’s huge for professionals and competitive players. Players can utilize the glitch to gain an edge over the enemy and ultimately win an aim duel.

Many users have confirmed that it’s a long-standing bug that works on various other maps. When a Valorant character model is mostly slanted towards a different edge, the sound cue will automatically pick the other surface’s audio. The bug also reportedly works on Icebox’s rafters when players are standing between the metal and snow.

With a bit of practice, experienced players with smooth movement can easily exploit this glitch, a dangerous prospect for Riot Games. Players have encountered various similar bugs since the release of patch 3.0. The developer will likely patch up this issue sooner as it can ruin high ELO ranked games.

Is Valorant on Steam?

Valorant is a game developed by Riot Games, so it is currently unavailable on Steam. Riot Games and Steam publisher Valve have a historically frosty relationship, making it unlikely that the game will be made available on Steam any time soon.

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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