Features and modes that Riot needs to add to VALORANT in 2023

After just over two years, it’s safe to say that VALORANT is doing pretty well. Riot’s multiplayer tactical and ability-based FPS has a healthy player base sustained by consistent content updates, as well as a thriving and growing esports scene.

The consistent changes to the agent and map pool, plus frequent updates to abilities, weapon stats, and spots on maps, keep the game feeling fresh. But like any online game, it’s not perfect. That’s a good thing, though. Players wouldn’t want Riot feeling like the game can’t be improved in some regard.

So what needs to be fixed? What needs to be added? Since we’re coming up on the end of the year, we’ve made a nice little holiday wish list of features, modes, and improvements that would be good to see come to VALORANT, all of which are perfectly reasonable.

Commendations and the option to “avoid future teammates”

When it comes to solo queue, particularly in the early stages of ranked, the likelihood of toxic or low-quality random teammates is too high. The negative experiences come in all forms: poor or no communication, throwing, griefing, and general toxicity. It’s not enough to report this stuff when players do wrong, we need to reward the ones that do right too.

A commendation system, similar to endorsements in Overwatch, would provide Riot with a new metric for improving its matchmaking. Preferably, the old commendation system in Overwatch, the one that allowed players to specifically commend players for teamwork, leadership, or sportsmanship, would fit the best. Then Riot could matchmake the positive players together and force the negative players to suffer with each other.

Warm-up options during queues

Queues in VALORANT in general are not egregiously long, but for certain regions and certain competitive ranks, it can take some extra time to find a match. Another idea we’re snagging from Overwatch is the ability to go into the training range or a deathmatch while the queue is active. The deathmatch option might be a little tricky with having to connect to a DM while queueing, but there’s no reason the training range shouldn’t be available.

A better store experience

Riot has done a good job at making its bundles and skins feel more special. They largely can’t be accessed after their featured listing expires, except if you get lucky with a rotational store or Night Market listing. We all have that one skin or bundle that we want to see in our store and one that we hope to see during the rare Night Market.

But at some point, players should be able to access more in-game items, especially the nice ones they may have missed out on. It’s especially rough for newer players who completely missed out on previously released bundles. We’re trying to give you more money here, Riot, come on.

A two-vs-two mode

Between deathmatch and Escalation, it’s clear that Riot has no issues adopting popular modes from CS:GO. And who can blame them? The War Games section of CS:GO‘s game modes list is filled with several fun and unique modes. But the thing Riot really should be interested in adding to VALORANT? A two-vs-two mode.

Wingman is a tremendous mode in CS:GO. Valve has committed to making unique maps for its two-vs-two mode, plus even added its own ranked system. As mentioned above, playing with randoms can be very frustrating, but it can be equally challenging to find a full stack of five. If you and your duo are all that are online on a given night, why not just stick to relying on each other?