The new episode and act coming to Valorant in the next patch will feature a new game mode, three new maps and a new progression system.
Still trying to grind to Radiant before the Episode ends? Keep it up, but expect some interesting changes next episode. The new Team Deathmatch game mode coming to Valorant in Episode 7, Act I. Yes, it has been confirmed! A new trailer dropped for the new game mode, explaining how it all works. Here is a breakdown of the upcoming game mode and the new rewards system appearing in the next patch on June 27.
Valorant Episode 7, Act 1 Overview
The new Valorant TDM mode will feature two teams (5v5) trying to score 100 kills first. Respawns were said to be every 1.5 seconds. Each map will have four timed stages, with players allowed to choose from a set of pre-selected weapon loadouts at the start of the match, which can be swapped whenever they are in the spawn area. It is kind of like when you play multiplayer games in Call of Duty for the first time. Also, forget about econ because there is not any in this game mode.
Across each map and match, there will be Weapon Spawners, Ultimate Orbs and Recovery Orbs. It is somewhat similar to Spike Rush, with buffs and debuffs spawned on the same locations in any match, corresponding to each map. The concept can be compared to the Halo or Overwatch games with their multiplayer matches that have orb pickups around the map. Unlike Spike Rush, which grants 900 XP per match played, Team Deathmatch will grant players 1000 XP per match played. The new trailer highlighted all of this new general info as well.
Speaking a lot on maps, there will be three new maps that are cycled in this TDM game mode: Piazza, District and Kasbah. These maps were sort of teased in the teaser released earlier this month when Raze and Killjoy were talking about Maxbot and the tablet got hacked. The maps Ascent, Split and Bind had alternate names flash quickly.
Read about the new Valorant maps, shared by Riot Games:
- DISTRICT: A map with a long sniper alley to one side and a horseshoe-shaped building on the other side that can be used to control mid.
- PIAZZA: A map with a relatively open mid overlooked by sniper nests, each nest can be flanked by huts on either side.
- KASBAH: An arena-style map with many connections to the middle of the
- map, which holds most of the resources.
Surprisingly, the Valorant progression system will be getting a massive overhaul, as it has not really changed since its launch back in 2020. Senior Producer Micah Worsham shared how the “team wanted to create a system that better rewards players for the time they spend with us…while keeping gameplay at the center.” This was said to bring players new ways to earn rewards. Most notably, this update will introduce a new and free in-game currency called Kingdom Credits (KC).
These credits can be exchanged to unlock additional rewards related to Agents and older battle pass accessory content. You heard that right! Old content that players may have missed from older battle passes can now be unlocked. Players will be granted a one-time gift of 5,000 KC to kick off the new system. This also leads to the Agent Gear unlock changes. Players are recommended to finish their individual Agent Gear unlockable progressions because that will be changing from XP progression to KC spending.
This update will also be a major rework of the Daily rewards system. Worsham noted that Weekly Missions was another aspect to be examined and updated soon but not for this patch. They did state that “Weeklies that will better support Team Deathmatch (like more combat-related and less “plant the spike” type missions.”
So far, it seems like this will be a significant leap to the backend elements of Valorant, with this new progression system and new in-game currency. I am wondering how much faster-earning rewards will be and if the new Agent Gear (store?) will be rotating out accessories in a similar way to how Fortnite cycles out their purchasable items and skins. As for the new TDM game mode, I am excited to see how this will be different than the other special modes. Based on what has been shown, it can be an interesting new way to experiment with Agents while also getting a feel for the various guns.
Stay tuned for more impressions of the new patch from our coverage of the Valorant Influencer Livestream preview event!
UPDATE – Following the Valorant Influencer Livestream Event on 6/15/2023
Day one of the Valorant Influencer Livestream event was a super fun and refreshing experience for the game. A lot of streamers and players I played were very enthusiastic and hyped for the new TDM game mode. I found it was a smart way to allow players to get a feel for the agents and the gun play at probably one of the fastest ways in Valorant. Most players would queue up in Spike Rush or Swiftplay to get that sense, but this felt like a faster way about it.
Some of the Agents thrive too well in this game mode…ahem…Reyna and Viper. Reyna’s quick recharge rate of abilities were kind of busted, and Viper’s Ultimate could take up a huge portion of the new smaller maps. On the topic of maps, I think Piazza was my favourite. I think the almost perfectly symmetrical map contained a balance of verticality and long-range battle capabilities. Each map had its own version of long-range-focused spots for those OP-ing or great with ranged shooting; I think a lot of the more seasoned players definitely had a step up in these areas (I just kept dying there trying to challenge them).
As for the new progression system, the interface of the store, Agents and accessories was clean and well-integrated into the game. The new look of Dailies made a lot more sense when I saw it in-game, which I think will be easily intuitive for returning players. Overall, this new patch coming up at the end of June is still not a huge game changer for the competitive scene but is a nice alternative to having fun or learning Agents in a quick, easy way.
