Riot Games Delays Competitive Updates in VALORANT Patch 7.05
Riot Games, the developer of VALORANT, has surprised players by not implementing a crucial feature promised in Patch 7.05. This update was supposed to address the smurfing and botting problems by blocking Ascendant players from queuing with players below Platinum One in ranked matches.
Missing Competitive Update
The competitive update, which was originally mentioned in the patch notes, has now been quietly removed from the 7.05 patch notes. Players were caught off guard when they encountered mixed teams consisting of Ascendant and Gold players in their ranked games. It seems that Riot is now planning to implement these changes in the upcoming Patch 7.06.
Delayed Announcement
While the competitive changes were included in some outlets’ patch notes, Riot hasn’t made an official announcement regarding the delay. It’s unclear why the feature was removed last minute.
Testing in PBE
Interestingly, the ranked restrictions were tested in both the PBE 7.05 and PBE 7.06 versions of VALORANT. The most recent PBE patch only included a minor change to Combat Reports.
Addressing Smurf and Bot Problems
Patch 7.06 is expected to focus on improving VALORANT’s competitive experience by implementing stricter restrictions on parties. Riot also plans to closely monitor botting abuse and take action against any suspicious accounts.
The developers may also introduce additional screening processes to combat issues like throwers, bots, and cheaters. While the delay may be frustrating, it could result in a more secure and enjoyable competitive environment in the long run.