Riot Games has once again done it, and this time, by launching another cosmetic bundle that will surely make the VALORANT community the most supportive of all. The latest leak brought to light the Mystbloom 2.0 collection, and, no doubt, it is the one—the sequel to that not so long ago immensely popular, super floral skin line that almost literally pours money into Riot’s pockets. In this particular case, no new weapon skins can be seen in the tweet reply, which is rather intriguing, but the reaction? Total insanity, man.
To be frank, the player card is the main source of the blessings. The card has a very charming, almost magical girl-like art style, which is just… very pleasant. A user named Wonder told his pals that “The player card is so cute 🥰” and actually? That is just the same sensation. Another user, isa, just burst out ‘Que coisa linda meu deus’ which, for those who don’t know Portuguese, means ‘What a beautiful thing my god.’ The vibe is everywhere. It is the type of vibe that is so strong that you would want to buy it even if you are not going to see your player card. You just want it.
But, of course, the other side of the coin is also there. Not everyone is smitten. One guy shows up every time. One such person is PeterWellDone who made a comment that was somewhat negativity masterclass: “Garbage. As per usual I wouldn’t want that for free. 🤦🏻♂️🚮👎🏻” Ouch! But on the other side, that is how the internet operates. For every person who praises it as beautiful, there is one who is ready to call it garbage. That’s the lifecycle of online multiplayer games. Another player, Rin, provided a more constructive criticism stating, “Maybe get rid of the ares and replace it with a bulldog or some shit,” which seems to suggest that they might have been more aware of the bundle than just this tweet, possibly even a gun skin? The plot thickens.
However, the real intrigue is in the replies about the release. The wait is killing people. One user, meowwowo, is having a total emotional roller-coaster: “SDROP THE BUNDLE ALREADY IM GONNA CRY WAIITING AUSSIES HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE 5TH!! :CCC” The feeling of suffering is very hard to miss. Another user, Whixper, simply asks “When is this coming out?” which is the million-dollar question. Some comments in the replies suggest a December 4th date, but since the Aussies are referring to the 5th, it is most likely one of those regional rollout timings that frustrate everyone. The wait is literally tearing up the nerves, which is both amusing and, at the same time, proving the point that these cosmetic drops are very effective.
Then, the psychological aspect of money comes into the picture. The bundle is not out yet, but players are already feeling the phantom of the money being taken from their accounts. User laura ☆ tagged a friend saying “@schmaay wir werden arm,” which is German for “we’re going to be poor.” The same is true for a lot of people. User lari just said, “todo meu dinheiro,” which means “all my money.” It is a common acknowledgment that yes, it is going to be like that, and no, our wallets are not ready. One player, weiilxii, just calmly said, “deff getting this collection,” and thus submitted to his fate. It is not a matter of if, but when.
The social dynamics in the replies offer yet another layer of complexity. Some people are humorously (or maybe not so humorously) looking for a ‘daddy’ to get it for them, and others are making gifts to one another as swv93 is doing with lulu: “vou ti dar!” (“I’ll give it to you!”). And there is even an odd little argument in the replies about someone not following someone on Twitter and thus being unworthy of a gift?? The community is simply a lively, messy, passionate ecosystem that cannot get enough of some digital flowers. It is almost like magic in its own right.
What is really clever from Riot’s perspective is that different players are creatively targeted. One user, dini, nailed it when she said: “eles sabem como atrair nós meninas mulheres” – “they know how to attract us chicks girls.” The Mystbloom vibe with its soft pinks, purples, and magical motifs is surely a wide appeal and Riot is clearly pushing the boundary. It’s not just about the skin line; it is actually about the identity of the game and its PlayStation and Xbox communities.
