Valorant Update 8.0 Patch Notes

Update 8.0 introduces significant Agent balancing, refining Astra, Breach, and Viper with enhancements to abilities, cooldowns, and overall utility, aiming to create a more balanced gameplay experience.

by Madhumitha | Updated Jan 06, 2024

FreshersLive

Valorant

Valorant is a free game made by Riot Games. It's a tactical shooter where players control heroes. It's available for Windows. They first talked about it as "Project A" in October 2019 and then let some people try it in a closed beta on April 7, 2020. It officially came out on June 2, 2020. The makers started working on the game in 2014. Valorant gets ideas from Counter-Strike, like how you buy things in the game, how guns shoot, and how moving affects accuracy.

Valorant Update 8.0 Patch Notes

First is that the Gun Buddy Carousel will now appear alphabetically by name. The second is that the new sniper rifle, Outlaw, is coming to the game in this patch.

Agent Updates

Deadlock

Continuing in the direction of the previous 7.10 GravNet (C) changes, we’re looking to build upon the unique strengths of Deadlock’s two other basic abilities: Sonic Sensor (Q) and Barrier
Mesh (E).

  • For Sonic Sensor (Q), we’re increasing the reliability of the concuss once triggered by
    shortening its windup time, while also increasing flexibility by allowing you to recall and
    redeploy it in the round.

    • Sonic Sensor (Q)

      • Sonic Sensors are now recallable in rounds.
      • Sonic Sensor’s pickup distance increased by 12m >>> 27m
      • Decreased time to concuss once triggered 1.0s >>> 0.5s
      • Decreased time for enemies to destroy Sonic Sensor once triggered
        0.65s >>> 0.5s
      • Deadlock and her allies can now hear Sonic Sensor’s audio lightly when
        they are in its area of effect.
  • For Barrier Mesh (E), we increased the max length of the barrier walls to allow it to divide
    much larger spaces than is possible with comparable utility and make it more reliable at
    fully blocking chokes when deployed quickly.

    • Barrier Mesh (E)

      • Increased the max length of Barrier Mesh walls by 6m >>> 10m

Killjoy

The amount of coverage on Killjoy’s Turret (E) outshines other defensive recon tools when paired with the Turret’s other strengths, such as its autonomous detection and long-range vision. Reducing its vision cone should push Killjoy to make clearer choices about what area of the map her Turret will cover, while the Turret’s updated visuals should aid you in quickly understanding what areas it will protect.

  • Turret (E)

    • Vision radius reduced 180 degrees >>> 100 degrees
    • Added a representation of the Turret’s vision cone on Killjoy’s minimap when she
      is placing the Turret.
    • Added VFX and updated the Turret’s animations to communicate the Turret’s
      new vision radius

Map Updates

Doors Refactor

  • We have upgraded the tech behind our interactable doors to polish some of your
    interactions with others and with Agent abilities.

Icebox

Icebox is back with a few changes to shake up Mid, B Green, and B Orange. Our goal with these changes are to add value and impact to Mid for either team controlling it and simplify pathing toward B Site through B Orange and B Green to make fights more predictable.

Attacker Side Spawn

  • A storage container has been added on the left side to block the line of sight from Attacker Spawn to B Tube.

B Green

  • The hanging container in B Green was creating a lot of complexity for both fights on the ground and people boosting up top. Moving the container out of the way should make combat here more manageable.

B Tube Exterior

  • We felt that Mid could use more value for either team holding it. We’ve added a window toward the end of B Tube that overlooks Mid and can see towards A Site and Defender Spawn. It allows Attackers to assert a lot of pressure on rotators and Defenders should be able to hold more space when holding Mid from B Kitchen or Mid Boiler.

B Tube Interior

  • Added two boxes stacked flush to the wall.

B Snow Pile

  • There were multiple parallel paths leading from Mid to the B Site. To reduce timings and create more predictable fights we’ve removed the B Orange route closest to B Kitchen.
  • Adjusted the snow pile leading up to B Kitchen so you can now silently drop off the boxes.

Lotus

Attackers have felt fairly overwhelming to Defenders on Lotus. Because of this, we’re adding more options by adjusting neutral spaces and making some quality-of-life updates across the map so that Defenders can better hold sites.

A Main

  • More room has been added to A Main along with a set of boxes to give Defenders some more options to fight for A Rubble control.
  • The double stack of boxes outside A Stairs has been changed to non-penetrable to reduce the likelihood of being spammed.

A Link

  • More room has been added near the breakable door. It was always a little awkward to fight out of the broken door, but now it should be easier to fight out from inside the connector room.

A Hut

  • A Hut has been closed to help give some more readability to the plant site, making it easier to retake. A cubby has also been added to the back of A Hut for more defender options to hold the site.

B Site

  • More room and boxes have been added to B Site to add some defensibility closer to the choke on site.

C Site

  • The Spike plant zone and the stairs in C Bend have been adjusted to allow for more diversity of Spike plant locations in C Site.
  • Boxes on the back of the site have been adjusted.

C Bend

  • More room and boxes have been added in C Main to also add some defensibility closer to the front of Main.
  • Boxes have been added to C Bend along with some extra room to fight from.

Rotating Doors

  • Rotating doors now take 10 seconds to fully complete their spin, up from 8 previously. 8 seconds was not enough time to use utility through the doors or fight, and make it through the doors on the same rotation. The extra time should allow for more fights to happen through the doors, and most everyone to get through the door on time.

    • Increased the time it takes for rotating doors to complete their rotation 8s >>>10s

Mode Updates

Team Deathmatch

We felt that the Sheriff is overperforming in the Stage 2 weapon ecosystem and, as a result, other load-outs have been pushed to the side. This change aims to allow other weapons to be more viable when in an engagement against a Sheriff.

  • Stage 2 – Sheriff Loadout

    • Heavy Shield >>> Light Shield

Map Rotation

  • All modes (except Team Deathmatch and Custom games) will use the Competitive map rotation.
  • Current rotation: Icebox, Lotus, Sunset, Breeze, Ascent, Bind, Split

Premier Updates

  • Team Captain Role

    • We’ve added a secondary management role to rosters called Team Captain. Team Captains can help with team management including inviting and removing team members. Captains cannot delete the team or kick the Team Owner out. Team Owners can promote and demote a Team Captain.
  • Standings

    • You can now view standings in other divisions and for previous Stages of Premier using the drop-down menus on the top left of the Standings Tab.
  • Divisions

    • You can now see which division you are seeded into before you play your first match.
  • Playoff Qualification

    • The threshold to qualify for this Stage is back to the standard 675 Premier Score.
  • EMEA Zone Updates

    • We’ve updated our Zones to support the VCT Challengers League Path to Promotion in EMEA. 

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Valorant GamePlay

Valorant is a team-based shooter game where players become Agents with unique abilities. In the main mode, teams fight as attackers or defenders, aiming to win rounds. Each player starts with a basic pistol and can buy weapons and abilities using in-game money, earned based on their performance. The game offers various weapons like pistols, rifles, shotguns, and sniper rifles, each with different shooting patterns.

Players can choose from 23 Agents, unlocking them with in-game currency called Kingdom Credits or Valorant Points (VP). Kingdom Credits are earned by playing games or completing tasks, while VP is purchased with real money or gained through specific events. The modes in Valorant include Unrated (played best of 25 rounds), Spike Rush (best of 7 rounds with special rules), Swiftplay (a shorter version of Unrated), Competitive (with a ranked system), Premier (for aspiring pro players), and others like Deathmatch and Escalation with unique gameplay features.

Additionally, there are limited-time modes like Snowball Fight, available during the Christmas season, offering a Team Deathmatch with a snowball launcher as the only weapon and special gifts containing power-ups throughout the game. These modes add variety to the gameplay experience in Valorant, catering to different preferences and playstyles.

Valorant Plot

Valorant doesn't have a traditional plot or story mode like some other games. Instead, it focuses on multiplayer gameplay where players compete in matches as Agents with unique abilities. The game is set in the near future and revolves around a group called "Valorant," an international organization composed of individuals known as Agents. These Agents possess special powers and come from various backgrounds, cultures, and countries worldwide.

While there isn't a detailed storyline within the game, some lore and hints about the Agents' backgrounds and connections have been revealed through character biographies, interactions, and in-game content. The game hints at a larger narrative surrounding conflicts, factions, and an enigmatic force called "Radiant," but the specifics of the plot aren't explicitly presented during the gameplay. Valorant primarily focuses on competitive gameplay, allowing players to engage in tactical battles and team-based strategies rather than following a linear story.

Valorant Overview

Developer(s)

Riot Games

Publisher(s)

Riot Games

Director(s)

David Nottingham, Andy Ho, Joe Ziegler (former)[1]

Producer(s)

Anna Donlon, John Goscicki

Artist(s)

Moby Francke

Composer(s)

Jesse Harlin[2][better source needed]

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

Platform(s)

Windows

Release

June 2, 2020

Genre(s)

Hero shooter, Tactical shooter

Mode(s)

Multiplayer

Valorant Review

Valorant has received positive reviews since its release. Critics and players alike have praised its engaging gameplay, combining elements of tactical shooters with unique hero abilities. The game's competitive nature and emphasis on teamwork have been highlighted as key strengths, offering a diverse range of Agents with distinct abilities that encourage strategic playstyles.

Additionally, Valorant's responsive controls, well-designed maps, and balanced weapon mechanics contribute to its overall appeal. Many appreciate its blend of fast-paced action and tactical decision-making, making it enjoyable for both casual players and competitive enthusiasts.

However, some criticisms have surfaced, particularly regarding the steep learning curve for newcomers due to the necessity of understanding diverse abilities and strategic gameplay. Some players have also raised concerns about the game's community and occasional issues with toxic behavior, which can affect the overall experience. Despite these concerns, Valorant continues to evolve with regular updates, adding new content and addressing community feedback to maintain its popularity within the gaming community.

Valorant Trailer

Disclaimer: The above information is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the Site.

Valorant Update 8.0 Patch Notes- FAQs

1. What major changes are introduced in Valorant Update 8.0?          

Update 8.0 brings significant alterations to Agents and weapons. It includes major buffs for Astra, Breach, and Viper, along with tweaks to various rifles like the Phantom and Vandal.

2. Are there any new Agents introduced in Update 8.0?

No new Agents have been introduced in this update. However, several existing Agents received significant adjustments and balance changes to enhance their gameplay experience.

3. Is there a change in the ranked system in Patch 8.0?

Yes, the ranked system has undergone a few adjustments, such as a reduction in rating gains for performing well in matches and modifications to the Competitive queue restrictions.

4. Are there any weapon adjustments or additions in Update 8.0?

Yes, the patch includes adjustments to various weapons, especially popular rifles like the Phantom and Vandal. There aren't any new weapon additions, but the changes aim to balance gameplay.

5. What other notable changes should players expect in Patch 8.0?

Aside from Agent and weapon changes, the update brings map updates to various locations like Breeze, Icebox, and others, aiming to improve gameplay and balance within these maps.