A new VALORANT blog post today gave fans a review of the agents introduced in 2021, information about changes they can expect in the first half of 2022, and cryptic hints about the next agent.
This past year was a big one for VALORANT. Fans were introduced to Yoru, Astra, KAY/O, and Chamber, each with a unique ability set and place in the meta. Some agents like Astra have become dominant agents, while others like Yoru need an update. Patch 3.0 also significantly changed the VALORANT economy, and other agents have become excellent choices on specific maps, like Breach on Fracture.
The short 2021 VALORANT review gave fans an excellent look at the highlights of 2021, and the remainder of the post provides an exciting look at what’s to come in 2022.
VALORANT players can expect several changes to agents in the first six months of 2022. The blog post acknowledges agent balance has been on the backburner compared to previous episodes since Patch 3.0, but this will change in the new year. The developers reevaluated their work flow and team and changed their priorities going into 2022.
These changes mean players will see several agent updates in the first six months of the year. The team will also focus on fixing balance issues faster than before. While Riot hasn’t revealed the upcoming changes, fans can expect more information before going live.
The end of the blog post also contains more information about the next VALORANT agent. The final message starts with “my friends” in Filipino, hinting at the next agent’s nationality. Next year will begin with the new agent that “[outpaces] the rest of the roster, shocking the competition, and sliding straight into the fight.”
This information doesn’t officially reveal the next agent, but it does provide cryptic hints about their abilities. The “shocking” tidbit might mean they’ll have an electricity-based kit, and “sliding straight into the fight” might mean another Duelist is on the way. The message ends with another Filipino phrase meaning “thanks a lot.” Fans will likely learn more about this agent at the beginning of 2022.
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