When Riot Games unveiled its FPS endeavor, Project A, back in October 2019, anticipation ran high. After years immersed in League of Legends and other card games, the prospect of a fresh FPS experience was exhilarating. Valorant, upon its launch on June 2, 2020, swiftly asserted its dominance in the FPS realm with its regular updates. However, amidst the overall success, there remain some notable gaps in Valorant’s arsenal. Curious to know what they are? Stay tuned as I delve into the essentials Valorant requires urgently.
Veto System for Maps and Agents
Valorant offers a pick-and-ban feature for maps in LAN or custom games, a feature many players, including myself, crave in ranked matches. It’s frustrating to constantly land on unfavorable maps by chance. Introducing this map veto system to ranked games would be a game-changer.
Additionally, an Agent Veto system would inject more excitement and depth into Valorant. With certain agents being perceived as overpowered, matches can sometimes feel one-sided. Implementing an agent pick-and-ban system would encourage strategic diversity and counterplay, akin to the dynamic seen in games like Rainbow Six Siege.
Rotation of Maps
Upon reflection, I find the frequent rotations of maps in Valorant to be somewhat excessive. It’s frustrating when beloved maps are absent from rotation for extended periods. Instead of removing them entirely, Riot could retain them for other game modes, ensuring players can still enjoy their favorites while they undergo reworks or adjustments.
The current lineup of Valorant maps offers a diverse selection, yet the absence of a map selection option for matchmaking queues is noticeable. Maintaining a larger map pool across most modes, except perhaps the competitive queue geared towards professionals and dedicated players, would enhance overall player experience.
Replay Feature
It’s disappointing that a game centered around competition like Valorant lacks a replay or download system. Players have been eagerly anticipating this feature for quite some time now. Although it was promised as far back as 2020, its debut is yet to be seen.
Riot has been receptive to player feedback on this matter and has assured the community that a replay system is in development. In a recent interview, Anna Donlon, Valorant’s Executive Producer and Dev Team Lead, reiterated this commitment, promising that the replay system will be integrated into the client soon. Hopefully, the wait, which has already stretched over four years, won’t extend to five. Until its arrival, however, this remains a significant point of contention for players.
Player Honor System
The prevalence of toxicity in competitive PVP games, including Valorant, is a well-known issue, with instances of griefing and tryharding affecting the gaming experience. Currently, aside from asking teammates to refrain from such behavior, there’s no sustainable solution to address this. To tackle this problem and more, I believe Riot should introduce an honor system within the game.
Drawing from the success of a similar system in League of Legends, implementing an honor system in Valorant shouldn’t be overly complex. This system would allow players to commend or report specific teammates based on their behavior. Riot could then assess these reports and potentially match players with similar behavior scores.
While discussions about a potential Honor system in Valorant have circulated on platforms like X Post (formerly Twitter), it’s worth noting that this remains speculative. However, given Riot’s track record, it wouldn’t be surprising if they are already considering such a feature.
Revamped In-Game Store
Returning Valorant players may have noticed the limited selection in the game’s shop, which can be quite frustrating. Missing out on a desired skin because it’s not available in the current rotation can be a letdown. Unlike other games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike, or Apex Legends, Valorant lacks a system to obtain older skins unless they randomly appear in your shop.
Additionally, the shop lacks exclusive or ultra-edition skins found in events like the Night market. To address these issues, Riot could consider speeding up the skin refresh timer or introducing a new currency akin to Kingdom Credits, allowing players to purchase specific older skins they desire.
Agent Customization Options
When a friend recently joined me for a game of Valorant, they were surprised to find that the agents lack customizable skins. This got me thinking, and I eventually found myself in agreement with them. While some may argue about potential visibility or collision size issues with agent skins, it’s worth noting that many other shooter games already offer agent-specific cosmetics.
Games like Apex Legends and even Counter-Strike have recently introduced agent-specific skins, demonstrating the viability of such a feature. Therefore, I believe it’s high time Riot considered adding agent skins to Valorant. To further enhance community engagement, Riot could involve the community in designing these agent skins through their social media platforms, adding an extra layer of excitement to the process.
Player-Created Maps
Community-created maps are a beloved aspect of many multiplayer games, fostering a sense of camaraderie as players come together to enjoy custom-crafted experiences. This collaborative process not only adds to the shared excitement but also empowers the community in a meaningful way.
Counter-Strike stands as a prime example of the success of community maps. Its thriving community creation feature has played a significant role in maintaining its dominance in the tactical shooter genre over the years. While I acknowledge Riot’s cautious approach due to safety protocols, I believe a balanced strategy could allow the community to enjoy the game while upholding safety standards.
Comprehensive Player Statistics
While implementing agent-specific cosmetics or community maps may present challenges, one essential feature that should exist is detailed player statistics tracking. Since Valorant’s inception, players have relied on various Valorant tracker apps or websites to access in-depth statistics about their match history.
It’s high time Riot integrates this functionality directly into the game, eliminating the need for players to rely on third-party platforms where they must connect their Valorant ID. Given that Valorant already provides information on the game’s Esports schedule and match details, I anticipate the addition of detailed in-game statistics soon.
Features such as agent history, map preferences, win rates, and more could greatly benefit players in the long run if readily available within the game interface.
With that, I’ve covered the key additions I believe Valorant should implement. What other features or enhancements do you think Riot should consider? Feel free to Drop your opinions in the comments box underneath.
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