Riot Games has begun teasing some lore and more set to arrive in VALORANT with the game’s next episode act, and the latest teaser is another hint at what could be a new map set in the sunny city of Los Angeles.
The Aug. 15 teaser post shows newest agent Deadlock and Cypher meeting in a security van, going over footage of what Kingdom Laboratories is up to. As Deadlock approaches the van in the clip, she briefly walks through an urban environment that features both palm trees and tall hills with numerous houses on them, which are both staples of LA.
Upon closer inspection, when Cypher briefly brings up a map on his screen, the southern part is a near-identical match to the southern coast of Los Angeles, and even appears to include a version of the Port of Long Beach. The spot marked on Cypher’s map also looks like it’s right next to where the I-5 and the I-605 highways intersect in real-life LA.
With the parked classic car briefly shown in the background, and the familiar orange glow, all signs are pointing towards Los Angeles. This isn’t the first hint either; the current Episode Seven, Act One battle pass features the Golden Hour player card with the same sunny atmosphere, palm trees, and LA aesthetics. Riot has previously utilized player cards in the act leading up to a reveal to tease new maps, having done so with both Pearl and Lotus.
The teaser also hints at the ultimate date of August 26, which is also significant to the Los Angeles theory. August 26 is the day of the VALORANT Champions 2023 finals, which are taking place in, you guessed it, Los Angeles. With the finals serving as the end of the 2023 VCT season, with Episode Seven, Act One coming to a close soon after, there’s no better time for Riot to make a grand reveal.
