Valorant
Valorant
Riot explains how losing a Valorant game can still help rank up
Fariha Bhatti
Losing in Valorant doesn’t mean you have wasted 30 minutes on the game. According to the developer, the system is constantly tallying MMR — even when you lose. Valorant is getting more challenging with each episode, but the developer continues to tweak the RR system to reward the players. Understanding how MMR and RR work in Valorant can help you rank up quicker because winning isn’t all there is to …
Valorant
Valorant pro ShahZaM claims Sentinels picked shroud only for “hype”
Fariha Bhatti
It’s never a dull day in North American Valorant, where drama and beef is always brewing. This time around, former Sentinel skipper Shahzeb “ShahZaM” Khan is at the center, claiming shroud was picked merely for the “hype.” shroud had long ago stepped away from competitive play, switching to streaming as his full-time career. But, he returned to competition in a jaw-dropping announcement that set the Valorant community ablaze. In 2022, shroud …
Valorant
sinatraa is returning to pro Valorant after two years in 2023
Fariha Bhatti
Former Overwatch pro and Valorant star Jay “sinatraa” Won is returning to Valorant in 2023, but it’s not in Sentinels. Sentinels’ former lead initiator, sinatraa is preparing to resume his pro Valorant career after a hiatus of two years. The popular streamer and pro player was barred from official Valorant events in May 2021 following sexual assault allegations. After two years, sinatraa is set to pick up where he left off, …
Valorant
Ranking up in Valorant Episode 6 will be easier, but only if you’re good
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant developer is changing the rank ladder progress, helping deserving players to gain more Rank Rating (RR). Whoever said Riot is purposefully squeezing players into low-rank queues was wrong. Instead, the Valorant developer is keen on streamlining the ladder by removing stringent rank-up requirements. So, in Episode 6, skilled players should find it much easier to get their desired rank badge without teammates hindering their progress. Previously, ranking up in …
Valorant
Valorant bundle Araxys features futuristic headshot machines
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant Episode 6 Act 1 is packed with new and exciting content, but the Araxys skin bundle undoubtedly steals the spotlight. Each Valorant episode begins with either a new agent or map and a brand-new skin bundle with over-the-top animations. Riot sticks with a theme for each phase, which is also evident in the skin collection for the said episode. This time, the game developer is feeling futuristic. The battle …
Valorant
Here’s your first look at Valorant map Lotus with a new gimmick
Fariha Bhatti
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 …
Valorant
Valorant EP 6 cinematic hints at an Indian map with three sites
Fariha Bhatti
Fans may think Haven is a bit too much to handle, but Riot is sticking to the unique map plan — at least if the Valorant episode 6 cinematic is to be believed. Typically, a 5v5 FPS map is set with two sites divided by a middle area. But Riot has been experimenting with unique layouts, and most of them have been successful. Bind’s no mid, and Fracture’s split spawn …
Valorant
How to get free VP in Valorant from Riot in 2023
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant may have pricey skins, but Riot is being generous. Right now, being nice and creative can get you some extra Valorant points for free! Valorant skins are expensive but compared to cosmetics in other virtual games, they are reasonably priced. However, not everyone can afford luxurious skin bundles, and Riot is well aware. To make them accessible for all, the developer introduced the Night. Market, which brings individual guns …
Valorant beats CSGO as the most-watched game in 2022
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive versus Valorant discussions had (thankfully) died down, but stats have stirred gossip, showing that Riot’s FPS was better than Valve’s in viewership. You can’t have two kings in the same territory. CSGO and Valorant have proven that. The fan wars are as old as Valorant itself. Since 2020, keyboard warriors have been defending their favorite FPS game. Is it Valorant or CSGO? The debate never settled. …
Best ways to boost your Valorant FPS settings in 2023
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant’s new episode will let players take another shot at opening their desired rank, but it’s crucial to have the best crosshair and decent FPS before you begin your grind. Riot’s shooter favors those with a crisp aim, optimal gear, and sky-rocketing FPS. Now, frames can’t win you games, but they give you an advantage over those with slow computers. Instant delivery of information allows you to take timely action, …
Riot’s new teaser for Valorant points at night mode map
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant episode 6 act 1 is on the horizon, which means a new map and Split’s return. Riot Games may have dropped a teaser for map 9, and it’s not what fans had expected. Valorant map nine is coming soon, so a cryptic teaser on the official Riot handle isn’t too surprising. What’s surprising is the voiceover and overall aesthetic of the potential map. It’s highly possible that Valorant’s next …
Here are the Valorant settings used by yay in 2023
William Davis
Valorant
Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker is arguably the best Valorant player of 2022. yay’s confidence and aggression make him a fearsome opponent that not many know how to handle. Pro players approach the game from a different angle than casual players, and these differences are shown even in the settings. The Valorant settings used by yay speak of his expertise. yay started his professional career as a Counter-Strike player, but he transitioned …
This hidden Cypher camera trick lets you spy on enemies in spawn
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
The newly buffed Cypher is finally appearing in more Valorant games. And this new overpowered Cypher camera lineup on Fracture shows that the Morrocan Sentinel is back in the game. Cypher’s Spy Cam is powerful. Even when he wasn’t buffed, the camera was the only tool in his kit players picked him for. Unlike any other ability in Valorant, Cypher could expose enemies and their tactics with just a click. …
Valorant can now be played in China
William Davis
Valorant
Valorant is now playable in China. The National Press and Publication Administration announced the list of games approved ahead of 2023 and included Riot Games’ shooter. The game, however, is listed as Fearless Covenant. Valorant is finally debuting in China two years after its release. The game went through China’s exhaustive approval process and will become available for players in the country soon. In China, videogames must be approved by …
VCT Masters 2023 reveals schedule and location
Nicholas James
Valorant
The schedule and location have been announced for VCT Masters 2023, with Valorant’s international competition heading to Tokyo, Japan next year. The stucture of competitive Valorant has changed dramatically over the past year, with developer Riot Games opting to implement an officially-sanctioned set of three leagues, each with 10 officially partnered teams. Here’s everything we know about the schedule and location for VCT Masters 2023 as of the moment. Riot …
The best Valorant skin tier list, bundles for 2023
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant has over 60 purchasable bundles in the game, providing players with many options. Our ultimate skin tier list can help you pick the best weapon skins for your next purchase. Riot Games’ FPS, Valorant, was the ultimate game-changer with its unique twist of character-based abilities. But that wasn’t the only thing that set Valorant apart from its competitors. Affordable skins with over-the-top animations and visuals made a splash among …
Valorant has fewer smurfs in 2023 than last year, stats say
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant developer has good news for dedicated ranked players who are sick and tired of smurfs polluting the lobbies in 2023. Valorant initially had rank restriction, which led many high-skilled players to create smurf accounts to be able to play with friends. Eventually, ranked demons started finding it easier to climb ranks, leading to their multiple smurf accounts to reach Radiant. These, and many other reasons, led to a severe …
Valorant map Split callouts you must know in 2023
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Split is returning to Valorant with its FPS-friendly layout that splits two spacious sites with a congested middle area, and learning proper callouts is a great way to get familiar with the map. Valorant maps are unique and skirt away from a typical FPS map design. Riot adds a twist in some maps with gimmicks, and others are entirely different from your traditional 5v5 shooter map. However, Split is on …
Is the 9-3 curse real? Valorant devs finally weigh in
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Not all community-made concepts are rooted in myths. The infamous 9-3 curse has happened so often that it seems too much of a coincidence. A Valorant developer has finally weighed in. Riot Games’ tactical shooter requires aim precision, game knowledge, and experience. But these skills hold no account in front of a good old jinx. Valorant players firmly believe in a 9-3 switch, a curse known to turn the tables despite …
Here’s how Messi’s Phantom skin would look in Valorant
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
The FIFA World Cup fever is still on days after the nail-biting final, and Valorant fans are also bubbling with ideas. This fan-made Messi Phantom skin is the stuff of dreams. Valorant is known for its cut-throat gameplay and competition, but many are hooked to Riot’s FPS for the skins. The developer has rolled out some exuberant bundles, and players continue to find new ways to personalize them. One Valorant …
Riot Games has long looked to expand its footprint beyond the success of popular MOBA League of Legends, and one of its biggest successes to date in this regard is the tactical shooter, Valorant. Blending traditional first-person shooter elements with unique and flashy hero abilities, Valorant seeks to combine the best attributes of tactical shooters and hero shooters into one cohesive experience.
Based on player feedback, the game has largely succeeded in accomplishing those aims. It’s not an easy balance, and it’s one that is arguably still tenuous, but Riot Games seems to be doing as good a job of it as most fans have hoped for.
What type of game is Valorant?
Valorant is a first-person shooter that represents a unique blend of the tactical shooter and hero shooter subgenres. There are some games that represent similar gameplay elements, but not many that offer the exact experience that Valorant puts forward to players.
The tactical shooter genre is often considered to have been defined by the release of the original Counter-Strike, a multiplayer mod for famed single-player PC title Half-Life that later became a standalone game of its own. While most multiplayer FPS games to that point emphasized prolonged battles between opposing players zipping around the game at high speeds, Counter-Strike slowed things down significantly and made players much more susceptible to each other’s firepower, requiring players to take a more tactical approach to play.
That slower and more tactical approach, combined with the lightning-quick nature of action when it does occur, proved reliably popular. That popularity can still be seen today with the ongoing success enjoyed by the Counter-Strike franchise, and it’s this gameplay type that represents the core of Valorant. It’s no accident that former Counter-Strike developers were drafted by Riot Games to help create Valorant during the game’s formative stages.
What differentiates Valorant from CS and other tactical shooters it that each of the game’s characters, called agents, wield a number of unique abilities. Some are typical for tactical shooters, like flashbangs and smokes, while others are wildly different, such as an ability that transports two players to an isolated dueling arena for its duration.
These agent abilities are more reminiscent of hero shooters, a subgenre that arguably got its start with the Team Fortress games but has best been popularized by Blizzard title Overwatch. The abilities, combind with the tactical considerations that are at the core of Valorant, separate it from most any other FPS experience available for play.
How does Valorant esports work?
Like many other popular competitive shooters, Valorant does have a thriving esports scene. That scene is differentiated by the way it’s run and controlled by developer and publisher Riot Games. Riot uses a model based on the success of its League of Legends esports scene, which sees the globe’s competitive players and team’s separated by region. These regions play out their own competitions in their sections of the world before coming together at regular intervals for international tournaments featuring the best teams from each individual region.
While League of Legends once boasted a variety of regions and regional types, Riot sought to simplify that model when setting up esports for Valorant. The game has only a handful of major regions, and these regions are held as largely equitable, each sending their best teams to international events leading up to the year-end VALORANT Champions event.
