Reduced Server Rewind Limit in VALORANT Patch 6.02 Promises Fairer Gameplay
Many VALORANT players have been frustrated by the advantage high ping gives to peekers, but Riot Games has addressed this issue in their latest update.
The maximum server rewind limit in Patch 6.02 has been decreased from 200 ms to 140 ms. This means that when the server determines the outcome of a shot, it only rewinds character positions up to 140 ms to match their locations at the time the shot was fired. This accounts for the delay between player input and server registration.
Previously, with a 200 ms limit, players often had to compensate for lag by leading their shots or getting shot after taking cover. This led to significant frustration for those who felt they had reached safety before the shot was recorded due to server rewind.
Based on player feedback and data collected by the VALORANT team at Riot, the decision was made to reduce the max server rewind limit to 140 ms. For players with low ping (less than 50 ms), this change should be unnoticeable. However, players facing opponents with high ping should experience fewer instances of getting shot after taking cover from earlier bullets.
Related: How to fix high ping in VALORANT
Players with high ping, consistently above 100 ms, will likely face more hit registration issues and challenges. However, these changes primarily impact those with extremely high ping.
While there may still be situations where VALORANT players face high ping opponents, Riot hopes that this change will reduce the most extreme examples and minimize frustration associated with playing against high ping opponents.