Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
KAYO's head in VALORANT. It says kill
Image via Riot Games

Riot silently updated VALORANT’s Practice bots, but now they’re out of control

Where are my bullets going?

Strafing bots in VALORANT’s Practice Range have suddenly become a bit too mobile, and while that’s great for warming up before a ranked match, players are having a hard time taking them down.

Recommended Videos

In a Reddit post dated Oct. 5, a player named u/iAmSyther reported how annoyingly difficult it is to hit a strafing bot in the Practice Range. The slow-mo clip showed that the player had their crosshair on the bot’s head but still managed to miss the shots, which is a little outrageous.

While the post was meant to highlight the registering inconsistency of bullets, several players were taken aback by the bot’s increased movement. “Brother, I’ve been on VALORANT for more than a year, played strafe a lot of times. Omg, this is the first time I’m seeing this,” one player said, referring to how the bot was running from right to left. Honestly, like many, I was surprised too. 

Looks like Riot Games updated the Practice Range bots to move more, but it left out the information from the patch notes. Well, I’m sure most of us are glad about this surprise change because it’s great for practice. The fact that players are unable to hit the bots is a bit perplexing, however. 

Comment
byu/iAmSyther from discussion
inVALORANT

“I’m pretty sure there is some stupid latency with the bot’s animation right now, I was using it as warm-up today, and there was definitely something off,” one player reported. 

Another player tried explaining the issue technically, saying why the player’s system variables (latency, ping) coupled with VALORANT’s 128-tick servers might have a role to play here. “What you see is interpolated gameplay from the server. The bot is not actually there, he’s a little bit ahead,” they said, and it does make sense. 

Comment
byu/iAmSyther from discussion
inVALORANT

Right after Patch 7.07 dropped on Oct. 3, I came across multiple similar reports where players were unable to consistently kill bots in the Practice Range. So it’s possible that the update might have actually broken a few things on the server’s side, and if so, Riot should take note before it makes more players question their skills.

Isn’t VALORANT’s ranked enough of a frustrating aim game already, that Practice Range bots had to join in too? 


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Sharmila Ganguly
Sharmila Ganguly
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. An enthusiastic gamer who bumped into the intricacies of video game journalism in 2021 and has been hustling ever since. Obsessed with first-person shooter titles, especially VALORANT. Contact: sharmila@dotesports.com