Best VALORANT Skins Released This Year
VALORANT is a free-to-play game that offers players the option to purchase weapon cosmetics for a more personalized gaming experience. While agent skins may not be in the game’s future, there are plenty of options to make your weapons stand out.
These skins provide satisfaction with their VFX upgrades, color variants, and epic finisher animations. In this article, we will explore the best in-store VALORANT skins released this year.
Criteria for Rankings
These rankings were based on the following criteria:
- Aesthetics: How creative and well-designed are the skins? Is the theme captivating?
- Animations: Are the VFX, reload animations, and finishers unique?
- Weapons: Are the guns included in the skin line popular? Would you get good use out of the entire bundle?
Sakura Collection – #5 Ranking
The Sakura Collection, released with the Oni Collection this summer, offers a beautiful Japanese-inspired skin line at an affordable price. The calming illustration of cherry blossoms on the body of the weapons creates a captivating theme. The bundle includes popular guns like the Vandal and Stinger, making it well-rounded for players in the pro scene. Though players who missed out on the initial release might have to wait for it to reappear in their shop, the Sakura skins are a great choice for those who prefer clean aesthetics.
Oni Collection – #4 Ranking
The Oni Collection pays homage to Japanese themes with its demon-like figure inspired by the country’s folklore. This bundle features gorgeous skins with color variants to suit different preferences. The standout features are the green spirit energy surrounding the gun and the Oni Finisher, which transforms enemies into chained demons under falling cherry blossoms. While some weapons in the bundle may be more niche, the Phantom rifle and melee weapon are the stars of the show.
Prime Collection – #3 Ranking
The Prime Collection offers a great overall bundle with a good theme, impressive weapons, and a satisfying finisher. While the initial color combination may not seem ideal, the stock variant looks excellent in-game. The futuristic bullet sounds, unique reload animation, and summoning of a howling wolf make the Prime Collection skins worth it. The melee weapon in this bundle is also a standout, as it replaces the typical knife with a golden axe. Players can make good use of the majority of the weapons in this bundle.
Reaver Collection – #2 Ranking
The Reaver Collection brings an underworld theme to VALORANT with sharp edges, dark hues, and haunting sound effects. The skins received notable changes after being reintroduced to the game. The groans of trapped souls accompany different actions, and a spiritual force guides the magazine into the guns during reloads. The standout feature is the finisher, where hands from the underworld rise to claim a new soul after killing the final enemy. Riot did an excellent job reinventing this skin line to match the best cosmetics in the game.
Elderflame Collection – #1 Ranking
The Elderflame Collection is the most expensive VALORANT skin collection to date, but it delivers on its promise. Each gun in the collection features a different dragon with a unique personality, and the animations showcase their characteristics. The finisher calls down a flaming drake to burn its target. Upgrading the knife with Radianite sets it ablaze, creating a visually stunning effect. While some weapons in the bundle may not be as popular, using the Vandal and Operator in almost every game makes this collection a great buy.
These are the best VALORANT skins released this year, offering players the opportunity to personalize their gaming experience with stunning cosmetics.
VALORANT, skins, weapon cosmetics, Sakura Collection, Oni Collection, Prime Collection, Reaver Collection, Elderflame Collection