8 game modes we want Riot to add to VALORANT

The mixed gameplay of lethal gunfights and original abilities in VALORANT gives Riot Games the potential to introduce various, fun game modes.

Only the classic mode will be available in the closed beta, but more game modes are expected to be revealed in the future. Even if the main focus will be set on the competitive classic mode, Riot confirmed in March that it’ll add more game modes post-launch.

Here are a few ideas for fun or competitive game modes that could bring some fresh styles of gameplay to VALORANT down the road.

Solo and Team Deathmatch

Deathmatch modes are popular and often used in shooter games like CS:GO, PUBG Mobile, and Overwatch. The player, or team in Team Deathmatch, must be the first to reach a certain number of points to win. Points are earned by killing enemies.

In this game mode, respawns would be enabled and the economy system wouldn’t matter. The choice of weapons to buy after each respawn would be reduced, but so would their cost to avoid snowballing. Original rewards could be earned by players who get kills, however, like giving points used for getting abilities.

Related: How to increase FPS in VALORANT

In this game mode, however, the map should be large enough to feature a sufficient number of safe spawn locations for each player. If there aren’t enough spots, they’d be camped by players all the time, even if there was a period of invulnerability after each respawn. For this reason, a dedicated map or a reworked version of Split would be required to introduce this game mode.

Snipers only

This game mode would be the perfect way for players to determine who has better aim. In a duel mode with just snipers, only skill matters. In a VALORANT version of this mode, two players would face off with only one weapon—the Operator. One shot would be enough to kill opponents, but to add some spice, only headshots would be allowed to deal damage.

But none of the released maps would be well-suited for this game mode since they lack large hallways that are ideal for snipers. A simple, dedicated map with several long paths and a middle area to link them could be perfect for this game mode.

Hostage Rescue

Hostage Rescue is another popular mode from other tactical shooters, like Rainbow Six Siege and CS:GO. In this well-known game mode, a team must protect the hostage while the other has to free them and bring them back to their spawn. The game is instantly lost if a hostage is killed, which makes the use of abilities a bit more complicated.

This game mode would offer a new layer of strategies. In VALORANT, it’d create a meta where some agents would be more powerful than in classic games, such as Omen and Cypher. Split would suit this game mode but a new map with more possible sites for the hostage location could bring additional spice to the mode.

Capture the Flag

CTF is a classic mode in other multiplayer games. Although the rules may differ depending on the game, the goal is always to capture a flag and bring it to your team’s base to earn points.

CTF could be a fun game mode in VALORANT if Riot creates a map with mechanics like a teleporter and several different paths to the capture point.

Changes should be made to the economy system for a VALORANT version of CTF, though, because it’s generally a fast-paced game mode. There could be a limited number of available weapons with a reduced cost and respawning enabled with enough gold to spend even without getting kills. But Riot should offer some type of advantage, like getting a better weapon, to reward good players.

King of the Hill

This mode is also well-known by shooter game enthusiasts. The objective is to capture and hold one location for the longest time possible. Two, and sometimes three, teams face off against each other to capture the point. There can be several points to capture as well, making this game mode slower and more strategic.

A team earns points over time when the location is secured. The first team to reach a certain number of points wins the round or the game. This game mode has easy-to-follow rules and allows for various playstyles, which makes it fun for players who like to run and gun.

The one-shot gun

In this game mode, the same rules for the classic secure mode apply, except for the available weapons. Players can only use a special gun that kills opponents in one shot. On the other side, though, it reloads after each shot, making every mistake highly dangerous. Similar modes can be found in Call of Duty and Rainbow Six Siege.

The Sheriff is a popular gun in VALORANT. It’s often chosen as a cheap weapon for eco rounds. A game mode with only this enhanced-version of the weapon could be fun, rewarding good aim without forcing players to land perfect headshots to get kills. The mode could also join the game alongside a Wild West-themed map and special cosmetics for the weapon.

Total Mayhem

Even if the central focus of VALORANT is gunfights, the abilities have the potential to enhance the fun side of the shooter in arcade-type modes. One of them could be similar to Overwatch’s Total Mayhem.

This is a fast-paced mode where resting isn’t allowed. Player health is increased so they can survive easier in the violent environment where the ability cooldowns are reduced so that players can spam them throughout the game.

It could be fun to see a game mode with free and nearly unlimited abilities. Guns could even be forbidden, or a knife could be the only weapon, forcing players to use abilities in a smart way to outplay opponents. Not every kind of map would suit these rules, though. A map with too many chokepoints and small paths would be unplayable. That’s why this mode would require a dedicated map in VALORANT.

Rocket jumps mode

Players in VALORANT come from various games, from League of Legends to CS:GO. A part of the community has also played Team Fortress 2, one of the first shooter games to mix gunfights with abilities. Similar to the Soldier’s weapon, Raze’s ultimate could be at the center of a fun and chaotic game mode.

This game mode would pit two teams of only Raze players against each other with her ultimate, Showstopper, and a knife as the only available weapons. Her ultimate wouldn’t deal any damage, though, and would allow her to rocket jump instead. The only way to kill enemies would be with a knife hit.

To make kills easier, the movement speed on the ground would be reduced and the ultimate would have a cooldown of around 10 seconds. Since the maps don’t have invisible walls in VALORANT, it should make things easier for players to jump above roofs.

These are only ideas of what Riot could add to the game. While competitive modes suit the most hardcore shooting game enthusiasts, fun modes based on the agents’ abilities could be an effective way to retain more casual players and persuade them to come back to the game.

Only the classic mode, unranked, and competitive will be available until VALORANT’s official launch, which is scheduled for this summer.