Introduction
Valorant is a first-person, hero-based shooter game by Riot. It was released in 2020 and, since then, has become a big name in the genre. However, over the past few months, the game has become stagnant in terms of gaming experience. But what’s the reason for the mediocrity of Riot Valorant? Let’s find out the problems with the game and how Riot can improve Valorant.
The Problem With Riot Valorant
One of the biggest problems with the game is the meta. Character-based shooters like Valorant struggle to come up with new characters that are unique. This makes the meta very character-oriented. If the agent is good, then Riot nerfs, basically taking the fun aspect from the game.
Riot solely handles the competitive scene in Valorant. This means that the company has to balance the updates with the competitive games. One minor tweak can change the outcome of an entire tournament. However, this also holds the ranked scene in the game.
In the early days of Valorant, there were not many agents. This meant the game was very predictable in a good way. You knew what was happening during the games, and since the game was new, it was more fun and intriguing.
Rank Up Is Not Rewarding
Playing the game for over 5 years, I don’t feel the rank-up reward. You get the same gun buddies, and other than that, nothing is exciting about it. Rank up is an aspect that should motivate the player to get better at the game. However, in reality, the rank-up is stale and not rewarding at all.
Anti-cheat and Ranked Integrity
Riot’s anti-cheat is better than competitive games like CS. Even though it solves the cheating problems, there are some limitations to it as well. There are dozens of smurfing accounts in the ranked lobbies.
Moreover, the boosting culture of Valorant is problematic for keeping new players on board. Today, there are more smurfs in lower-ranked lobbies than the actual players. This is a big issue for new players who just want to get the gist of the game.
Monetization and Player Fatigue
The battle pass of Riot Valorant is left for only one purpose. It is to get the radianite, which is necessary for upgrading the skins. Coming to skins, they are expensive, and you can’t resell them, meaning they’re obsolete if the game dies.
The prices of skins have also increased along with the launch of the same theme-based skins. The company has run out of ideas, and most players are playing for skins only. Also, the premium skin feels better than normal skin. This is a pay-to-win scenario for the player regarding skins.
The Toxic Community!
Yes, there is a mute and report button for toxic players. However, there have to be more penalties for blatant cheaters. If you encounter one player with toxicity, your entire 30-40 minutes are wasted on the game. The players throw on several occasions, making your game a waste of time. You can’t even have fun in the toxic community.
Poor Map Designs?
Valorant needs better maps. It’s a fact that Valorant’s map does not suit the game style. You have abilities and ultimates that make the maps so small. Plus, on most maps, there are no advantages to taking up space. It doesn’t make sense for a company of such calibre to have poor maps in their top game.
The Need to Reduce Utilities
Character-based games need to balance the abilities. In Valorant, the meta always shifts. But this doesn’t mean that you add utilities. The game is aim-based, and thus, there should be fewer utilities and also fewer damages.
The Thriving Esports Scene
Esports is the only positive aspect of Valorant these days. The company focuses on curating the ideal competitive metas. However, during this process, they take the fun aspect out of the game. This makes Valorant more technical, but new players do not want technicalities. They want to get into a game where they enjoy their experience rather than looking into the technical aspects.
How can Riot Valorant improve?
Valorant is a solid game. However, it needs to go back to its roots. At this stage, the game takes itself too seriously, especially for maintaining the competitive scene. However, integrating fun agents and different game modes is a way to let players have a good time. That should be the goal of all games; players should have fun, and in reality, it’s an achievable goal.
- More game modes.
- Cheap skins.
- Creative agents.
- Better rank up rewards.