In 2025, Valorant should undergo significant transformations.
Valorant, having been around for almost half a decade, is no longer the fresh new game it once was. Some players are starting to feel a bit worn out with the game's format, so if it wants to continue to thrive in 2025, it needs to bring some significant changes.
It's important to note that Valorant is far from struggling – it's still one of the hottest games on Twitch. Its popularity on the platform, along with the console release last year, has kept its player base strong.
However, games like League of Legends and Dota have shown that even the core gameplay needs to evolve to keep players engaged. Valorant has been fairly consistent since its launch, but that might not be enough to keep players interested in the long run. So, here are four major changes that Valorant needs to implement before 2025 to keep its player base and attract new ones.
Revamp Existing Agents
It's been suggested that some of the original agents in Valorant are becoming a bit stale. Players are more excited about the newer agents with their cool abilities. Is anyone really thrilled to play Brimstone or Sova when there are cooler, newer agents with similar abilities available?
It might be time to give some of these older agents a facelift instead of introducing new ones. Swap out a few abilities, give them a new look, or brainstorm some new ideas and see what sticks, like what Deadlock is currently doing.
Introduce New Weapons
Since its launch, Valorant hasn’t introduced many new weapons, and it seems like a logical place to expand without complicating things too much. While a huge arsenal could get confusing, adding a few new options to the Phantom or the Vandal could make the game more interesting.
Counter-Strike has stuck to its two main guns, but that doesn’t mean every game needs to follow suit. Introducing new weapons could make Valorant even more exciting. If I don’t know what weapon my opponent is carrying, it makes the ensuing fight more unpredictable and adds to the game's appeal.
Finally Implement the Replay System
It's hard to believe that a competitive game from a developer with the resources of Riot Games doesn't have a functioning replay system four and a half years after launch. This feature should have been included from the start, and its absence is puzzling. If it's not implemented by 2025, questions need to be asked about what the development team is focusing on instead of getting this feature out the door.
Encourage Community Content
Like Counter-Strike, CS has leveraged its community by allowing custom map support and allowing fans to create skins that eventually make it into the game. Although it's highly unlikely that the notoriously closed Riot Games will ever open the door to this, giving the community the ability to create maps, game modes, and skins could significantly diversify Valorant and cater to a wider audience. It's a long shot, but it would be fantastic if it happened.
Riot Games acknowledged the need for changes in Valorant, stating that the game might need to revamp some of its original agents to keep players engaged, as newer agents with exciting abilities have gained more popularity. They suggested swapping out abilities, giving agents a new look, or brainstorming new ideas.
In addition to this, the article mentioned the possibility of introducing new weapons to Valorant's arsenal to make the game more interesting and unpredictable. While Counter-Strike has focused on maintaining its two main guns, the authors argued that Valorant could benefit from having a few more options.
Lastly, the article emphasized the importance of implementing the replay system in Valorant, as it's unusual for a competitive game from a developer like Riot Games to lack this feature after four and a half years post-launch. They noted that if the replay system isn't added by 2025, questions about the development team's priorities might arise.
