I’m Struggling with VALORANT Competitive—Here’s Why
In a recent competitive game of VALORANT, I encountered the frustration of not being able to play the agent I wanted. This experience, along with other issues I’ve faced in the game, has made me realize the flaws in the current ranked system.
I had high hopes for Episode Seven of VALORANT, but it hasn’t been what I expected. Despite my efforts to improve and climb the ranks, I find myself stuck in Platinum One. Riot Games’ decision to demote players by two ranks every episode has made it even harder for me to reach my desired rank.
Some players have managed to benefit from this system, reaching their previous rank quickly, while others like me are left behind, struggling to prove ourselves once again. To make matters worse, smurfs continue to boost undeserving players, rendering the rank reset ineffective.
The Challenges of Episode Seven
Episode Seven pushed me back from Diamond Three to Platinum One. As someone who has limited time to play VALORANT due to work commitments, it’s difficult for me to climb back up quickly. I prefer to play a few focused matches at a time rather than grinding nonstop.
Unfortunately, the struggle doesn’t end there. I often face uncooperative teammates who throw winnable rounds. This problem is exacerbated by the toxic nature of the Mumbai VALORANT server, where I frequently encounter toxicity as a woman player.
There seems to be a pattern of being matched with underperforming teammates who struggle to keep up with the game. This loser’s queue, as some call it, makes it difficult for players like me to progress. And despite Riot’s attempts to tackle the smurfing issue, it continues to persist.
The Issues with the Ranked System
One of the major problems I face in VALORANT Competitive is the flawed remake system. Even when a teammate disconnects early in the match, we’re often unable to remake and have to play with a disadvantage. The requirement for all four players to vote for a remake is unnecessary and frustrating.
Another issue is the presence of throwers and AFK players in my matches. Reporting these players rarely leads to any action from Riot. The in-game report system seems ineffective, as instances of toxicity and throwing go unnoticed.
The AFK penalties, on the other hand, may be too harsh for legitimate disconnections due to technical issues. Meanwhile, players who purposely disconnect to ruin matches face little consequence.
The hidden MMR system used to determine ranks also poses problems. Unfair matchmaking and the presence of boosted players and purchased accounts make it difficult for players to have a fair and balanced experience.
Instalocking, where players immediately lock in their desired agents, is another frustration. This often leads to imbalanced team compositions and puts unnecessary pressure on players like me who prefer to choose their desired role.
The Future of VALORANT Competitive
Despite the flaws in the ranked system, Riot Games is making efforts to address some issues. They have attempted to introduce a cascading agent pick system, but it faced backlash from the community. Riot has also taken action against third-party applications that enable unfair advantages.
However, the focus on cosmetics and the esports meta has overshadowed the problems in the ranked ladder. It will require significant effort from Riot to eliminate these issues completely.
While I may take a break from the frustrating ranked experience of VALORANT, I hope that Riot will eventually improve the system. In the meantime, I’ll explore other games like Overwatch 2.