Holiday-themed game modes have become a staple of multiplayer games during the end of the year, and Riot appears to have already preparedValorant’sseasonal offering. Dataminers have found evidence of a snow-themed mode headed to the popular hero-shooter this winter.
Valorant’smix of tactical gunplay and magic-like abilities has evolved considerably since its June launch, with a growing community and lively competitive scene. The title just received patch 1.10, kicking off Act 3 with a new battle pass, level, quality-of-life improvements, and other features to keep gamers engaged.
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The map is a particularly timely addition. Agents can now shoot it out inValorant’s frigid new Icebox map, which seems like the ideal setting for the “Snowball Mode” that was recently leaked on Twitter. Little is known about the mode, but some of its associated tags feature rapid fire, bouncy, growball, and skates, which is a list that promises intriguing combinations.
These tags likely refer to mode-specific abilities that will replace or augment agents' tactical options, but they could also be unique orbs, or other mechanics altogether. While most of the tags seem to refer to different kinds of snowballs, the skate tag may hint at a new movement ability. This potential limited-time game mode is likely an example ofnew casual game modes coming toValorant,as teased by Game Director Joe Ziegler.
The prospective new mode is a natural move for Riot, which has seen great success with ‘disruptive’ limited-time game modes inLeague of Legendsfor years. Players have already expressed an appetite for odd-ball challenges, as indicated by the success of casual, custom game modes,includingValorant’s user-created Laser Chase mode, which plays similarly to whack-a-mole.
One thing that may put a damper on the game’s holiday happenings is Riot’s reluctance to introduce Agent skins. Riot is wary of adding non-weapon cosmetics to the gameas it feels skins could impactValorant’s competitive integrity, though seasonal skins have proven popular in bothLeague of Legendsand competitorOverwatch.Riot never said “never” to the possibility, however, and while it is unlikely skins will accompany the new snowball mode, they seem like a reasonable addition.
Valoranthas other major improvements scheduled apart from the standard bug fixes and competitive tweaks. Riot has stated it plans on radically reworking the game’s ranking system, and adding a quality-of-life feature toprevent players from being queued into the same maps repeatedly. These competitive-minded additions, paired with flavorful seasonal modes like the leaked snowball fight, should keep the shooter alive for months to come.
