The latest update, called 8.01, is making a lot of noise because it brought the huge VALORANT Skye nerf that everyone is talking about right now. Skye was really strong and a favorite choice for many players, but now, the game’s creators, Riot Games, have decided to make her less powerful.
Why does this matter? Well, in games like VALORANT, balance is key. When one character is too strong, it can make the game less fun for everyone else. That’s why Riot Games keeps updating the game to ensure no one character is too powerful. This latest change to Skye has got a lot of players talking and wondering how it will change the way they play the game. Let’s dive into the details of VALORANT Skye nerf.
VALORANT Skye nerf hits the agent pretty hard
A vital figure in the game, Skye’s dominance in the later part of 2023 was something many players talked about. However, the new update brings a significant nerf to her abilities, particularly impacting her Guiding Light skill.
This change is a big deal for players who rely heavily on Skye. Thanks to her powerful abilities, she was almost a staple in every match. The nerf aims to balance out the gameplay, making it fairer for everyone. Players who got used to Skye’s dominating presence now have to rethink their strategies, which adds a fresh twist to the game.
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VALORANT Skye nerf explained
Skye’s main nerf revolves around her Guiding Light ability. This ability won’t regenerate during a round in the new update anymore. This means that players can’t rely on unlimited uses of this skill in a single round, leveling the playing field with other agents. Additionally, the flash from this ability will automatically activate at the end of its lifetime. This change cuts down on the sneaky fake flashes that Skye players used to throw off their opponents.
Skye Changes (8.01) | #VALORANT
> Guiding Light (Flash) no longer regenerates during the round.
> Guiding Light will now automatically activate at the end of the flash's lifetime.> Skye's Ultimate Seekers will now show a warning indicators towards targets. pic.twitter.com/8JW6t0HZZ4
— Mike | Valorant Leaks & News (@ValorLeaks) January 23, 2024
Another reintroduced feature is the yellow arrow markers when targeted by Skye’s Seekers. These markers give players a heads-up on where the Seekers are coming from. They were removed before to give Skye a buff, but now they’re back, considering her recent overpowering performance. Here are the key changes:
Guiding Light (E)
- The ability no longer regenerates charges during a round.
- The flash automatically activates at the end of its lifetime, eliminating the possibility of fake flashing.
Seekers (X)
- When a Seeker gets close to its target, the player will now receive a yellow directional warning indicator.
These tweaks have caused a stir in the professional VALORANT community. Some players believe that these changes might make Skye less appealing to pick. The adjustments to her Guiding Light ability, in particular, are seen as a big setback. The non-regenerating flash charges and the automatic flash activation significantly reduce her tactical flexibility. As a result, Skye’s pick rate is expected to go down quite a bit.
VALORANT 8.01 patch notes
Here are the VALORANT 8.01 patch notes announced by Riot Games:
Map Updates
Breeze
- A Hall reopened
- After the most recent Breeze changes, it’s been noted that attacking can be overly restrictive. As a result, A Hall has been reopened to give attackers more options.
Agent Updates
Skye
- Guiding Light (E)
- Guiding Light no longer regenerates charges during a round
- Guiding Light now automatically activates the flash at the end of its lifetime
- Seekers (X)
- When a Seeker gets close to its target, the target player will now get a yellow directional warning indicator
Iso
- Double Tap (E)
- Shootable orb duration increased 2 >>> 3 seconds
- Initial buff and shield duration increased 15 >>> 20
- Shield width reduced 120 >>> 100
- Contingency (C)
- Cost reduced 250 >>> 200
Raze
- Blast Pack (Q)
- Audio for Raze traveling through the air with Blast Pack is now louder when she is traveling towards you
Gameplay Systems Updates
- Projectile Jump Throw Normalization
- Jump throw lineup behaviour has been improved with a feature to make it more consistently reproducible.
- HRTF
- HRTF will now be enabled if ticked and using Stereo speaker configuration
Performance Updates
- Improved boot and match load times by optimizing file IO performanc
Player Behavior Updates
- Added additional details to the behavioral messaging system in order to improve clarity and visibility into the Terms of Service and the Penalties and Bans FAQ
Bug Fixes
- Agents
- Gekko
- Fixed a bug where occasionally Thrash’s (X) explosion was blocked from affecting enemies due to corners of geometry
- Iso
- After eliminating practice bots in the Range, Iso’s energy orbs will now spawn. They will still not spawn in Shooting Tests
- Reyna
- After eliminating practice bots in the Range, Reyna’s Soul Orbs will now spawn. They will still not spawn in Shooting Tests
- Gekko
- Gameplay Systems
- Fixed an issue when transitioning from inspect to scope using the Outlaw
- Fixed bullet tracers with Chamber’s Tour De Force (X) and the Operator when penetrating through corners
- Fixed a minimap visual issue where when you first load into a match, it showed a similar VFX to Omen’s From The Shadows (X)
- Fixed an issue where the Spike’s white circle indicator on the minimap did not appear when Spike was dropped on the edge of someone’s minimap
- Maps
- Breeze
- Fixed a bug where the A Hall Door was starting in the open position
- Lotus
- Fixed a bug where you could stand on top of the crumbled pillar on C Site
- Icebox
- Fixed a bug where you could stand on the container in B Green
- Split
- Fixed a bug where you could stand on a vent in B Garage
- Breeze
- Modes
- Team Deathmatch
- Fixed a bug where, if the Outlaw was picked up from a weapon spawner, it had no reserve ammunition
- Team Deathmatch
- Premier
- Fixed a bug that was causing Premier Standings to not load your zone/division the first time you click into it
- Fixed a bug that was causing teams to not appear on the Standings tab right after their Season Match
Featured image credit: Riot Games
