Valorant
Valorant
Sova’s darts can help protect the Spike on Pearl
Fariha Bhatti
Just as Fade took the spotlight on Pearl, Sova has stolen it back with clever usage of his bow and arrows. The latest Valorant map Pearl is encircled in glass, protecting the futuristic city from the ferocious ocean. The unique Pearl layout doesn’t have any gimmicks that drive the gameplay, but it’s undoubtedly a tricky location for agents. Only a few characters are truly successful on Pearl, and Fade tops …
Valorant
Reaver 2.0 bundle is real, and it has a fancy karambit
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant’s most iconic bundle to date, the Reaver skin line is returning. Leaked images show that Reaver 2.0 has the potential to break the Valorant market. Recent skin bundles in Valorant have been underwhelming, with a few exceptions. Popular collections’ spin-offs have likely roped more business for Riot Games than new releases. RGX 11z, Prime 2.0, and Magepunk are excellent examples of sequels that tempted many to invest in cosmetic …
Valorant
Who is Varun Batra, Valorant’s potential agent 21?
Fariha Bhatti
The Valorant Public Beta Environment has teased a crucial character in the lore who could be from India. Is Varun Batra the next Valorant agent 21, Mage? Riot Games is big on diversity when it comes to Valorant protocol. The lineup has characters from different parts of the world. From Ghana to Germany, the developer has added various languages, references, and agents into the mix. Neon’s release ended up being …
Valorant
Valorant is likely getting Fortnite-style emotes for each agent
Fariha Bhatti
If you thought animated sprays were a lot, Riot Games might be considering Fortnite-like emotes for Valorant agents. Valorant is a highly competitive shooter that requires dedication and skills. To win at a high level, players must give their all. But Riot Games has added plenty of Easter eggs around Valorant maps that add a fun touch to the otherwise grueling games. Shiny skins, animated sprays, and cute plushies are …
Valorant
CSGO is a “joke” next to Valorant’s difficulty, says shroud
Fariha Bhatti
The ceaseless comparisons between Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Valorant aren’t stopping soon. Micheal “shroud” Grzesiek has fanned the old discussion again, calling CSGO a joke compared to Riot’s shooter. Before Valorant entered the fray, CSGO ruled tactical shooters. Riot’s take on the genre was transformative and provided Counter-Strike with its first real competitor. While players have many hot takes on which is better, shroud’s word has weightage due to his …
Valorant
What is losers queue in Valorant, and is it real? Devs answer
Fariha Bhatti
Do you ever feel like Valorant is forcing you to queue with other unfortunate players? Riot devs claim that it’s not the case and that the supposed losers queue is nothing more than fantasy. Riot Games has tried time and again to establish transparency with its players. Regular blogs are the developer’s primary source of communicating procedures and plans to the community. Still, players have plenty of theories that are …
Valorant
Here’s how to play Chamber in Valorant, the OP sentinel
Fariha Bhatti
Few new characters in Valorant had the immediate impact Chamber did, establishing his position as the hero hybrid. Here’s how to play the stylish sentinel in Valorant. New agents usually take time to find their footing in the meta. Chamber, however, became a centerpiece of all gaming-winning compositions within weeks of his release. His unique golden inventory makes him a hybrid agent who can occasionally fill in for duelists. He’s …
Valorant
How to get Eco or Ego spray in Valorant from Prime Gaming loot
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant players can now grab a unique spray exclusive to Prime Gaming owners. An Eco or Ego Spray in Valorant is attractive and clever, making it a great find for players. Valorant is free to play, but Riot Games has locked many exquisite cosmetic items behind a paywall. These pricey cosmetics can add tons of value to the account and help players paint the bland maps with colorful stickers, leaving …
Valorant YouTuber SeLFlo dead in apparent suicide at 23
Steven Rondina
Valorant
Valorant YouTuber SeLFlo is reportedly dead by suicide after falling from the top of an apartment building. According to local reports, a student at the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Gwalior died in Hyderabad, India. The individual who died was identified as Valorant YouTuber SeLFlo. He was 23 years old. SeLFlo had discussed his struggles with mental health before his death. Shortly before he died, he posted an …
Players want Icebox disabled in Valorant, here’s why
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Icebox is raining bugs, making the map a menace to play in competitive Valorant. The map’s A site is loaded with game-breakingly good exploits, leading to an abundance of complaints. The icy tundra is hands-down one of the best Valorant maps due to the verticality and snowy weather. Underrated agents shine on this location, making it a player favorite. If there were any initial flaws, Riot fixed them by rolling …
There’s no counter to this OP Cypher wallhack bug on Ascent
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Cypher may not be the flashiest agent on the roster, but he can be super sneaky with his kit. This new Cypher bug on Ascent allows him heavy intel by unfair means. The spy-like agent has a complicated toolkit capable of locking down an entire map, making him an overpowered detective in some situations. Cypher’s strength isn’t about firepower, so he becomes useless if his kit isn’t used correctly. That …
What’s the World’s Smallest Violin Challenge in Valorant?
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant players have found a new pastime, and it’s addictive and entertaining. The World’s Smallest Violin Challenge in Valorant isn’t just a TikTok fad but it may actually help with the aim. Aim training is crucial for ranking up in Valorant. For this purpose, Riot added a customizable range in the game that assists players in practicing in a customizable setting. Among many other options, the range also allows players …
Valorant developers confirm Chamber nerfs are coming soon
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Chamber is next line to get significant nerfs to his kit, Valorant developers teased. The overpowered sentinel has long been on the developer’s radar. Few new characters in Valorant had the immediate impact Chamber did. Within weeks of his release, the agent’s pick rate took off, making him a centerpiece of all gaming-winning compositions. In the current patch, Chamber is absolutely dominating the queues as one of the best agents …
Overpowered Raze ult on Pearl proves she’s back in the meta
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Pearl may seem like Jett’s home turf, but its vast layout also helps Raze execute insane plays. After staying on the sidelines for a hot minute, Raze has returned to the meta as one of the most-picked agents. Her play time at Valorant Masters shows that she’s still a viable pick, and Pearl’s addition further strengthens her place on the roster. Complex design of Pearl with an open sky area …
Valorant fans demand nerfs for Chamber after VCT dominance
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
The players are rigorously criticizing the suave Sentinel Chamber for being too overpowered. Does Chamber need to get nerfed to fit in the current meta? Well dressed and well armed, Chamber has shaken the Valorant meta to the core. His heavy- duty weapons put the default Operator and Sherriff to shame, providing him with a competitive edge. According to ranked players, Chamber has become the key to winning free ELO. …
Valorant fans confused by Sentinels Pokimane roster update
Olivia Richman
Valorant
The Valorant community initially speculated that Sentinels was just trolling when the North American squad announced that FPS legend and popular streamer Michael “shroud” Grzesiek was joining the roster. Sentinels now has decided to make a joke of the situation with some other surprising roster updates. shroud is a former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro who is lauded for his skills. Every shooter he plays on stream is just another game …
This Viper ult setup on Pearl guarantees you wins in a 1-on-1
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
A risky new Viper ultimate usable on Pearl has been discovered, and it’s a useful tool for denying retakes. Pearl isn’t the type of map where a regular controller can shine. A simple globe of smoke is futile unless you go for a double smoker setup. Luckily, Valorant has a unique controller with a screen that can cover multiple angles simultaneously. That makes Viper one of the best smokers to …
When does the Valorant Night. Market return? Find out here
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant Night. Market skins is set to return yet again. Players can get premium skins at a cut price for a limited time. Riot Games has rolled out tons of in-game cosmetics for players who can afford to spend some extra cash on virtual items. These pricey skins add value to your account and style to your Valorant highlight clips. Some may even feel a difference in their gameplay after …
Valorant is experimenting to get rid of smurfs in patch 5.01
Steven Rondina
Valorant
Valorant patch 5.01 has brought a number of balance changes to agents alongside a new experimental detection system meant to deal with smurfs. Balancing is difficult in any game, and that applies to both the game itself and its matchmaking engine. Some agents are overly powerful or even weaker than they should be, and some players end up competing against opponents that are way better or way worse than they …
Iconic Ion Phantom returns in Valorant Run it Back bundle
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Prepare your wallets because iconic Valorant weapons are returning in the Run it Back bundle. Valorant patch 5.01 is quite a meta-shaker with Phoenix and Yoru changes, but players can enjoy the new landscape in style. After experimenting with unique themes, Riot Games has decided to play it safe for the new patch. Instead of rolling out a new bundle, the developer is bringing back some of the best 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.
