Once Riot dropped the new teaser out of one of the inbound VALORANT maps, the VALORANT community had an almost instant recognition of what may contain one of the biggest possible game-changing evolutions in the respective games. As described by the devs, it essentially requires a complete rethink in how players take and hold sites—layered, complex, heavy on ability use. And yet there’s that brief glimpse of gameplay everybody’s theorizing about.
So, what is the big fuss? The site design having an insufficient concrete shape set say-a-lot-of-players-almost-unmoving challenges on the game via a tweet from the official VALORANT account. Unlike some of the easier maps currently in the player rotation, this is being designed for much deeper strategic challenges, where the abilities take prime place instead of second grade to that layer of strategizing. Now, that is one tall claim because quite a chunk of the player base has been reiterating their dislike for the more complex map designs in the first place, which includes Fracture and Icebox.
One ought to not be convinced by any and all pretense. Upon a long indifference musing, one player succumbs with a probably negative reaction by saying, “If I wanted to play CS maps, I’d just play CS,” while another cracked that this looks like a practicing simulator. Ouch again. The Spanish-speaking crowd put in: “Si están haciendo esto de ir mostrando de a poco el mapa es que será un mierdon” (If they’re teasing the map bit by bit, it’s gonna be trash). A harsh judgment, but hey, VALORANT players have never really been known for holding back.
Back then, it was much about map design. Some people like gimmicks—Bind’s teleporters, Ascent’s destructible doors, Haven’s extra site—while others like the simple and straightforward. Another reply calls Abyss “criminal” for being so chaotic in its design. But, of course, there is some excitement from some that this may be the first legitimately unique-looking VALORANT map.
Time for the inevitable comparisons to CS:GO. Multiple replies pointed out that it looks like Dust II, Cobble, or Inferno. One guy even went: “We’re getting Dust 2 on VALORANT before GTA 6.”
Still, the real question is—when will we actually get the map? This new one with the Replay System? (That thing has felt like “coming soon” forever). No official date yet, but they’ve teased gameplay, so it’s gotta be pretty close to a release.
Now for the chaos in the replies—keyboard mashing outburst questioning why there was even Viper and Chamber in the teaser and, following, one of the boldest quotes I’ve seen in a long time: “Bold of you to assume I need to think to take site.” Mood.
A game changer or a map added to an already-controversial rotation? Time will tell. But for sure, VALORANT players will never let their feelings go unheard. It’s all paved for the discussion, for or against it.
Until then, all that awaits us is more information (and maybe a little combo practice).
