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- Valorant's patch 1.14 is bringing a number of gameplay changes and the first-ever Christmas event.
- The holiday event will offer free cosmetics and a limited-time game mode that is free for all players.
- Sage was also buffed this patch to make her Barrier Orb more useful.
Valorant fans have been requesting faster content releases with new maps, agents, and other changes. It looks like Riot has finally delivered. The new patch brings many heavily requested changes, and if you do not want to go through the massive patch notes, here are the five most important changes you need to know about.
Valorant Night Market
Image by Riot Games
Valorant players have been requesting updates to the in-game store, and Riot adds a brand-new feature that will help players get access to skins at discounted rates. Similar to League of Legends’ random skin selection that lets each player get access to discounted rates on randomly selected skins, Valorant players will get six chances at discounts. The Night Market will open up on December 10th, and you can check your selection of skins and discounts in-game. The skins are usually on rotation, and they should change at specified intervals. You can keep an eye out on the Night Market every time you log in to grab your favourite skins at discounted prices.
Snowball Mode
The Valorant team set us up with something special for their very first Christmas event. The limited game mode will feature classic 5v5 gameplay with a twist. Agents will get special power-ups, progression towards rewards, and more. You can grab a free Gun Buddy if you play the event. Players get access to a special snowball gun, a holiday-themed variant of Brimstone’s artillery launcher. The snowballs are projectiles, and you will have to predict where your opponents will be to land your shots.
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Icebox Overhaul
Image by Riot Games
Icebox has been a controversial map, and most players agree that it favours defenders too much. The new update seeks to address that issue and make the map more competitive for attackers. One of the map's biggest problems was that it was too easy for defenders to get the high ground, and Riot has decided to adjust certain areas of the map's elevations.
Agent Balancing
Sage got buffed in the latest patch for the first time in patch 1.14. The agent was among the most popular during the beta and at launch, but Riot handed out several nerfs to keep Sage’s popularity checked. Valorant fans have been requesting changes to her kit, and we finally received the first Sage buff since the game’s launch. Once her Barrier Orb is fortified, it will no longer lose health over time.
Gameplay Changes
The Act Rank badge has been re-enabled, and players can see them again in the player cards. The Career page has also been reworked to show match history and Act ranks in separate sections. Other than the UI changes, other bugfixes have also been deployed for stability improvements.
RELATED: Riot Games Confirms Sage Buff Headed to Valorant Patch 1.13
