VALORANT Patch 4.01 introduces adjustments to the Ares, which many players considered overpowered after receiving a substantial buff in Patch 4.0.
Patch 4.0 introduced several weapon changes, including a significant nerf to the Spectre and a buff to the Ares. These changes created a new meta where the Ares became the standard purchase in second round buys or force rounds. While it was exciting to see the Ares in more matches, it was clear the weapon was overpowered.
The buff removed the weapon’s spin-up time and increased fire rate, allowing players to almost instantly dish out damage. These changes quickly made the Ares effective in nearly all scenarios, and it wasn’t uncommon to see ten Ares in matches.
Related: The buffed Ares is now the most powerful gun in VALORANT to start Episode 4
Riot introduced new changes in Patch 4.01 that should help balance the Ares without nerfing it to the ground. The gun now costs 1,600 credits, and its pitch recoil is increased. The spread has also been adjusted, and the spread and recoil reductions while crouching have been decreased from 40 percent to 25 percent.
The Ares will still likely be a popular weapon in certain situations, but these changes will hopefully help VALORANT move past the notorious Ares meta. The latest patch also implements the melee updates, adds a muted word list, and addresses multiple minor bugs and issues.
Fans can find the full list of changes in VALORANT’s official patch notes.
