VALORANT’s new katana skin is already being dubbed ‘pay to lose’

VALORANT’s newest skin bundle is the Oni 2.0, a long-awaited sequel to the original Oni bundle, which was released all the way back in 2020.

After several other well-loved skin bundles have received sequels, like Prime, Ion, and Glitchpop, it is finally Oni’s turn in Episode Six. However, players have been rolling out complaints about the Oni 2.0’s melee weapon, especially after it was revealed that it carries one of the highest price tags for an individual item in the game.

Aside from some issues with the presentation and design of the Onimaru Kunitsuna, another issue with the melee’s animation has surfaced, and players are concerned it could actually affect gameplay.

Normally, skins in VALORANT don’t change anything about the way a weapon performs. Even high-tier skins that change the outline of a rifle have minimal impact on the effectiveness of the gun when clutching up a one-vs-five. Though players do seem to have a general consensus on skins that are considered “aimbot” cosmetics, like the Prime Vandal, for example, there isn’t really any reasoning to it besides personal preference.

However, some players on Reddit have brought up a concern: the Onimaru Kunitsuna is actually so large the animation could give away players hiding in corners.

Melee weapons in VALORANT vary, with knives, hammers, and even baseball bats coming in a variety of sizes. Some players have argued before that the largest melees in the game, like the Cryostasis Impact Drill, affect gameplay because the model takes up such a large portion of the screen.

The Onimaru Kunitsuna is on the larger side for a melee weapon, but the issue is the pull-out animation, which is unique to this katana, pulls the large sword too far. If you’re holding a corner, for example, the knife might protrude out from the wall and give away your position. Thus, one Reddit user dubbed the knife a “pay2lose” [sic] skin.

The question is how often players might actually be in a scenario where this affects them. “But why would you pull your knife out when you’re sitting in a corner?” one Reddit user asked.

Another user argued the same thing, that hiding in a corner won’t be where the bulky animation would be the most impactful. The worst thing, they said, would be trying to jump peek with the long sword in hand. The animation might give away your agent’s model before you even jump, making it easier for an Operator user to anticipate the peek.

So, is the Onimaru Kunitsuna worth the massive credit amount when there might be repercussions in your actual gameplay?

As more players buy the new VALORANT bundle, we will have to see if this Oni melee becomes a top choice across the ranked ladder or if its size is too big an issue.