Valorant
Valorant
100 Thieves blasts Riot Games over VCT NA Last Chance Qualifier
Olivia Richman
The Valorant Last chance Qualifier is partly single-elimination, something that has frustrated teams competing in the tournament. 100 Thieves’ Valorant team has been especially vocal on Twitter about the structure of the North American Valorant Last Chance Qualifier. The official format was revealed on Twitter, leading to a lot of criticism from pros in the Valorant scene. Rather than a standard double-elimination or fully single-elimination event, the VCT’s NA Last …
Valorant
Here’s what rare Valorant victory tags mean
Fariha Bhatti
At the end of each Valorant game, a tag summarizes every sound. These commendations can be a bit confusing but fret not. We have a proper explanation of what each one means. If you’re new to Valorant, or the first-person shooter genre in general, you may find it tough to comprehend the game glossary. The extensive lingo consists of slang words, community-made terms, and classic FPS jargon. But Valorant has …
Valorant
Valorant Night Market returns
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant Night Market is back and it’s more exciting than ever this time around. Riot Games has finally announced the much-awaited discount store for Valorant players. The Night Market will run from September 29 to October 12. “You never know what will be on offer at Night Market,” Valorant developers said, “and weapon vendors rarely offer the same prices twice.” https://twitter.com/PlayVALORANT/status/1443364975549075459 This act’s shop is going to be one of …
Valorant
Female pro Slaze is suspended for boosting, claims Riot targeted her
Fariha Bhatti
Female professional Valorant player Sophia “Slaze” Ramirez, who recently got suspended for boosting, has claimed someone on Riot Games’ anti-cheat team is conspiring against her due to personal grudges. Riot Games has previously taken strict actions against cheaters, account boosters, and bad actors in general, regardless of their popularity in the esports scene. Team Polaris’ Slaze has landed in hot water for account boosting this time around, but she’s resisting …
Valorant
Valorant fan one-ups Riot Games with remade Smite skin
Fariha Bhatti
A Valorant player has revamped the plain Smite knife, and the new version looks straight out of Ultra class. Smite is one of the cheapest Valorant skins, but this reimagining by Thyros-exe transforms it in a big way. The overhauled knife is clean, whimsical, and hearkens to the League of Legends Summoner Skill of the same name. Riot Games has rolled out tons of over-the-top, extravagant Valorant skins that only …
Valorant
Here’s how to learn every Valorant agent’s lineups for all maps
Fariha Bhatti
Learning utility lineups in Valorant is now just a few clicks away, as this new website has cataloged all crucial lineups for each agent. Utility is key in Valorant. Winning a game at a higher level is impossible without putting smokes and incendiaries to their correct use. However, learning all lineups isn’t a cakewalk, which is why Valorant players have come up with a utility one-stop. Cutthroat first-person shooter Valorant …
Valorant
Valorant’s agent 17 confirmed to be a Sentinel from France
Fariha Bhatti
Riot Games has dropped a first official teaser for the upcoming French agent, who seems slick and sophisticated. Valorant protocol hasn’t seen an expansion in a while, and it seems that a new Kingdom employee is about the enter the picture. Many hints about agent 17 have slipped through the cracks, and now Riot Games has finally dropped the first official teaser this time. In a recent “State of the …
Valorant
shroud explains why Valorant is easier than CSGO
Fariha Bhatti
Retired professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player Michael “shroud” Grzesiek no longer thinks Valorant is just as challenging as Valve’s FPS, and he has an explanation why. The constant comparison between Valorant and CSGO is still going strong one year after Riot entered the first-person shooter category. Despite the endless debates, even the FPS experts like Shroud have failed to decide which game is more challenging. In a recent stream, shroud …
This insane Omen TP trick lets you sneakily retrieve Spike
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Larger Valorant maps can be tough to tackle, but not when you have the shadow agent Omen on your side. A new discovery shows Omen’s unique interaction with the Spike. Riot Games has recently expanded Valorant’s map pool with diverse locations that are relatively large. It’s tricky to pick the perfect agent for these maps in the current fast-paced meta. However, this new trick shows that Omen might be the …
Valorant players reject “overpriced, lazy” Zedd bundle
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant’s most expensive Spectrum skin bundle may have taken the market by storm, but dedicated players aren’t all fans. Riot Games’ shooter is known for its cut extravagant, pricy in-game cosmetics that only a few can afford. While almost all skins cost big bucks, the latest ZEDD x Valorant bundle comes for a whopping 10,700 VP, which is equivalent to about $110. A large number of players don’t think it’s …
Valorant patch 3.06 makes huge map changes, removes wallbangs
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Patch 3.06 brings glad tidings for Valorant players that are tired of being killed by enemies they had no chance of actually seeing. Players have long been complaining about unlikely wallbang spots marring Valorant. While these penetrable spots are an intentional part of the game, some bomb point wall bangs put attackers at a massive risk. The developer has introduced significant map changes in patch 3.06 which should make planting …
Jett nerfs finally coming after Valorant fans’ VCT complaints
Olivia Richman
Valorant
Two Valorant agents are getting nerfs in patch 3.06, including one agent that the community has been criticizing for months. Jett and Skye are finally going to take a hit from Riot Games’ balance team. Both agents are heavily used in solo queue and pro play thanks to their impactful kits. In fact, Jett had an 84% pick rate during the Valorant Champions Tour Masters: Berlin. Her incredible movement and …
New VALORANT GO! bundle brings Yoru’s comb-style butterfly knife
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
The latest Valorant bundle finally brings the iconic Yoru knife to the game, first spotted in Episode 2 reveal. Riot Games recently delivered a store-breaking bundle featuring a butterfly knife in Recon, which received a mixed reaction from the fans. Some called the skins too plain for Valorant and it seems the developer has taken feedback into consideration. Recent leaks reveal an upbeat version of the Recon butterfly knife with …
How to find out if the spike has been half defused in Valorant
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Have you ever lost a winnable round because you were hoping the enemy is fake defusing? This mistake can be avoided by staying alert. Fake-defusing is one of the common win-tactics in first-person shooter games. This trick works wonders in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive but can be highly punishing in rival shooter Valorant. But this audio cue trick can help you identify a fake tap. Riot Games has introduced a unique …
ShahZaM explains why Jett being sole OP agent is bad
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant’s Operator has been at the center of discussion for a while now. Sentinels’ skipper Shahzeb “ShahZaM” Khan recently explained what’s wrong with the Sniper rifle as the concerns with the weapon continue. Valorant weapons receive tons of criticism now and then for being too overpowered or broken. Whether it’s the Phantom versus Vandal debate or Shorty run and gun, the firepower in Valorant has remained a hot topic. Previously, …
Pokimane hits Immortal, shares tips on ranking up
Fariha Bhatti
Twitch
Popular Twitch streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys has finally hit one of the highest Valorant ranks and she has valuable tips for players stuck in low ELO. Pokimane has already earned her stripes as one of the top streamers on Twitch, but she’s now dipping her toes in first-person shooter games. The 25-year-old is proving that she’s also an excellent competitive Valorant player with her brand new Immortal rank. https://twitter.com/pokimanelol/status/1439296935257464832 The …
shroud says he prefers Valorant skins, calls CSGO skins a “joke”
Steven Rondina
Valorant
Skins have become a huge part of some of the biggest first-person shooters, but Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Valorant go in very different directions with their respective skins. And this has produced some strong opinions on which skins are better. Some prefer one game’s aesthetics while others prefer the opposite, and Michael “shroud” Grzesiek has made his own tastes known. While the popular streamer is known as a former member …
shroud is here to tell you whether CSGO or Valorant is harder
Steven Rondina
Valorant
One of the most interesting discussions regarding newer first-person shooter Valorant is how it compares with rival tactical shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Michael “shroud” Grzesiek has been on the forefront of that discussion since Valorant’s original reveal. Over the last 18 months, shroud has flip-flopped on whether Valorant or CSGO takes more skill to reach the top. Early on, shroud was somewhat dismissive of Valorant’s skill ceiling due to …
Valorant fans demanding nerfs for Jett after VCT dominance
Olivia Richman
Valorant
Valorant fans want to see Jett nerfed before the Valorant Champions Tour Finals in December. VCT Masters: Berlin was an exceptional event that showcased top teams from all over the world. It also shined a light on the game’s evolving meta and the most popular agents for competitive play. One agent stood out to fans, and that’s the omnipresent Jett. One of five duelists in Valorant, Jett had an 84% …
Why are duelists no longer top picks in pro Valorant?
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
You may see Reyna and Pheonix running rampant in ranked games but agent comps have changed in professional tournaments. Duelists are no longer the top pick and it’s a good thing. The final stage of Valorant’s biggest circuit VCT is approaching an end, with the last race to bag qualifying points in Masters 3 Berlin. Agent selection from Valorant Champions Tour Stage 3 proves that the agent compositions have changed …
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.
