It’s time for a killer robot and a whole slew of balance changes.
VALORANT‘s Episode Three is now live with Patch 3.0, introducing KAY/O, a fresh battle pass, and a complete overhaul of the agent and weapon economy system. Players can also expect tweaks to the competitive system and a new account leveling system to track player progression.
This is easily one of VALORANT‘s biggest patches to date. Riot devs took the new episode as an opportunity to introduce exciting features, while also creating a massive shift in the meta. Nearly every agent and weapon was altered in one way or another. Raze, for example, will see her Boombot’s price increase to 400 credits and she now needs eight ultimate orbs to use Showstopper. And numerous weapons had their cost tweaked, such as the Operator dropping to 4,700 credits and the Judge jumping up to 1,850. Players can also expect less bullet tagging and higher walking inaccuracy.
KAY/O’s debut may also finally provide a solution to the post-plant meta, where players typically use line-ups and abilities to stall until the Spike explodes. The killer robot’s new suppression mechanic prevents players from using abilities, disrupting opposing squads and forcing them to adjust their strategy.
As for competitive changes, players should feel less hard stuck and matchmaking should also be a fairer experience. Rank rating adjustments should be less volatile, regardless of a win or loss, and close games will have a smaller effect on your rank. And Riot will reward players simply for the time they spend in VALORANT, introducing an account leveling system. You’ll also be retroactively rewarded based on how much you’ve already played in Episodes One and Two.
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