Created byLeague of Legendsdeveloper Riot,Valorantis a hero shooter that pits two teams of five players against one another with gunplay similar to that found inCounter-Strike.Initially launching over two years ago,Valoranthas improved much since it first released, with new Agents, maps, and skins coming out every so often with the game’s content updates. However, that does not mean thatValorantis flawless, and like many other competitive shooters, the game is constantly shifting.Previously,Valoranthas seen major changes through its Agents, which can sometimes be overpowered when they first launch. Besides nerfs to characters, one changeValorantfans were consistently asking for was more diversity in the game’s maps. Sometimes, due to the way matchmaking works inValorant, players will see the same map multiple times, which can make the game feel repetitive. Now,Valorant’sdevelopers have acknowledged the issue and have released a statement on how the game will change moving forward.RELATED:Valorant Reveals New Agent in Gameplay TrailerIn a recent survey, manyValorantplayers stated that it was “extremely frustrating” to see the same map multiple times in a row, something outlined by Brian Chang of the game’s competitive team. “We wanted to make sure that we could improve the diversity of maps played without compromising the health of matchmaking,” Chang said. AfterValorantfirst launched, the game would pick maps randomly. However, as time has gone on, this process has changed to determine the likelihood of a map being picked after it has already been played.
Comparing June 2020 to April 2022, Chang outlined how the future ofValorant’s"map diversity" would go.Valorant’supdated map selection system will not eliminate streaks entirely, but will minimize the chances of consecutive maps occurring. Considering that removing map streaks entirely could change the queue times and skill grouping inValorant, it seems the developers thought it best to not remove the issue entirely to save other problems from popping up. Considering how small changes like buffs ornerfs to an Agent can changeValorant’smeta, the developers are often cautious with any alterations they make.
Valorant’smap problem could also solve itself over time as the game grows to include more areas for players to enjoy. Already in 2022, theFracture map inValorantwas released, indicating that the developers will continue to give fans new locations over time. Perhaps it could take a page out ofCS:GO’sbook and even allow fans to make their own maps that eventually make their way into an official rotation.
