Valorant Episode 4 is Here – Neon, New Battlepass, and More
Published: Jan 11, 2022
Exciting times for Valorant as we enter into the first Act of Valorant Episode 4, which brings along the new duelist agent Neon, the new Battlepass, fresh Ranked Act, and a whole lot of changes.
There’s quite a bit to unpack, so let’s dive right in!
Neon is Here
The long wait is over, and Neon is finally here. The new duelist agent arrives in Valorant and players will finally have the chance to test her lightning kit properly.
From the design, to the animations, to the actual abilities – she has it all. Being a duelist already puts her at the top of the list and we expect her to be an insta-pick. You better get used to seeing Neon in all your matches for the next month or two.
We still don’t know where she’ll fit in the current Valorant esports meta, or whether she’ll be so overpowered that she’ll reshape the meta completely, we’ll have to see. But one thing’s certain – the fans are already in love with her.
When the Neon trailer dropped, everyone was blown away. Not only did we get to see some incredible animations Riot is known for, but we also got to enjoy the amazing “Entertain Me” song performed by Ylona Garcia & 88rising. Needless to say, the song is still stuck in everyone’s head as it’s THAT good.
We’re looking forward to the initial Neon tests by the best Valorant players. We’ll probably have more accurate information after a week or two.
WARM UP
If the Neon trailer wasn’t enough to hype you up for Valorant Episode 4, then yesterday’s Episode 4 cinematic certainly did the trick.
In the trailer, we see the Valorant HQ training room where several Valorant agents battle against Killjoy’s killer bot. Phoenix and KAY/O have some friendly beef, after which the scene transitions into both of them getting gunned down by the incredibly agile bot.
All the while, Yoru and Jett engage in some friendly esports betting, where we see Jett constantly losing the bets and getting more and more frustrated. Cypher is there to introduce some calm and balance into the mix while he’s engrossed in his solo chess match. Of course, he gets gunned down in the end, as is the case in every cinematic with Cypher in it.
In the end, we see Brimstone and Sage, who put an end to the show and the agents pack their bags and leave.
The entire trailer is almost 5 minutes of exciting Valorant goodness. In case you’ve missed it, go ahead and watch it now. It’s incredible!
The 4.0 Patch
We have to wrap this up somehow, but there’s so much more to talk about. We’ll try to focus on the most important bits that the new Valorant Episode 4 patch brings, so here it is.
Weapon and Map Changes
It is customary to get massive weapon and map overhauls with every major patch. That’s exactly what we’re getting with patch 4.0. Changes to melee, Spectre, Ares, Guardian, and Bulldog are just some of the updates you can expect in the new Valorant Episode 4 patch.
Bind and Breeze maps received some massive updates, changings many locations. Some objects were added, others were changed. But overall, the adjustments are very significant. Valorant esports teams will certainly have to re-adjust their strategies when they play on these two.
Battlepass
Of course, the new Act wouldn’t be complete without a new Valorant Battlepass. Battlepass brings the Act I exclusives that include the Velocity Shorty with variants, the Valentine’s Tactics Player Card, and Chicken Out Gun Buddy.
If you’re a collector, make sure to check out the premium version for even more Valorant goodies!
Ranked Changes
The new players will now have to reach level 20 before they’re able to play in Ranked. Riot wants players to first learn the ins and outs before competing in the competitive queue. This is quite a welcome change that will benefit all players in the long run.
The map randomization has also been increased, and the 5-stack Rank Rating penalty has been reduced.
To learn all the little details of Valorant Episode 4 patch, make sure to check out Valorant’s official 4.0 patch notes.
