Riot Games has just come up with a really exciting feature that will let players really connect with each other through the thick and thin of years filled with great clutches, amazing teamwork, and chatting at ungodly hours thanks to ranked. Well, now for the future, show your real names only to those deserving teammates-no more hiding behind a gamertag when everything is just too lit for you.
The announcement tweet by Valorant’s official account hit different, stating “a bond forged through clutch gameplay and gaming moments you’ll talk about for years to come.”
And honestly? Big facts. We’ve all met those random queue teammates that became your duo partner for life after they pulled a 1v5 with a Sheriff. Right? Therefore, Riot is giving the players the chance to make this bond even grander by letting you reveal your real names with the newly integrated game system.
The support page linked gives the 411: It is opt-in, so no one will akdjendojxj you into doxing yourself to some toxic. You can select the players who can see your name, and it will sync across the whole Riots ecosystem (‘League’ players might probably join, too). No automatic sharing happens; the privacy nuts can chill; you can revoke access at any time.
So? At the time of this writing, reactions- negatory. That is something unheard of for a Valorant update. In general, all these epistles would have spewed out in reaction to how this would either “ruin the game” or “finally fix comms.” Maybe they are all too busy checking it out in-game to complain about it. Or still recovering from that last overtime match their Reyna threw by peeking mid. Who knows.
Riot seems to think Valorant’s social fabric will be bound by initiatives such as this and Premier mode, which is very team-oriented. It is probably clear to them that friendship (or rivalry) developed in the game plays an uncredited role in keeping players in the game. And let’s admit it: a few of y’all have progressed from “bro nice ace” to Discord calls to IRL weddings. That’s gaming that way.
Well, ya gonna have to listen to these trolls use the feature just to mess with the one person who really made them mad. But at this point in time, Riot’s moderation team is busy. Voice chat reports? Yeah, that’s gonna keep them busy. And for those introverts? No worries. Stay true to your enhancing “xX_S1lentButD34dly_Xx” fantasy for as long as you want.
So is it a W? Probably for stacked teams and streamer squads. Not so sure for solo queue warriors muting all after the first diff comment. Either way, this will lead to blending gaming friends with real-life ones. Now excuse me while I explain to my mom why “ShroudFan42” knows our address.
