The Champions 2023 VALORANT skin bundle sparks player backlash
The latest skin bundle to hit VALORANT, called the Champions 2023 bundle, will be available in the shop starting on August 4th. This bundle includes both a rifle and a knife, but it has garnered criticism from players this time around.
Locked VFX effects cause frustration
In VALORANT, skins are known for their unique visual effects that enhance the weapon’s appearance. However, the Champions bundle takes it a step further by locking the full VFX effects behind a Radianite cost and a kill requirement.
This mechanic is not new, as previous bundles had similar prerequisites. In 2021, players had to top the leaderboard in a lobby, and in 2022, they needed to earn 25 kills. For the 2023 edition, players must achieve 30 kills to unlock all the VFX effects.
Players in the VALORANT community are upset about this 30-kill requirement for accessing the VFX effects. Some have even described it as “gatekeeping.”
One player voiced their frustration, saying, “What’s the point of the VFX if you’re never gonna see it? Riot is getting too cocky with skins, I don’t understand the decision to gatekeep you from enjoying the product even after you bought it.”
While the skin does have a glow mechanic that increases with every three kills, the full VFX glow doesn’t activate until the player reaches 30 kills.
Many players feel that achieving 30 kills in a lobby is extremely difficult for the majority of players, and it does not reflect their skill level. Not everyone plays an aggressive playstyle focused on getting kills.
An upset player commented, “I frag out a lot but once you hit high Diamond/Ascendant and above, it’s hard to drop 30+. Happens but it’s rare, should just be like 20 kills, it’s VFX, FFS.”
Even if players manage to reach 30 kills, they will only enjoy the full VFX for a few rounds. Having a player consistently score over 30 kills in every game doesn’t necessarily mean they are helping their team.
VALORANT is a team-based game
In VALORANT, players should choose agents that fulfill different roles within a team composition. For example, Sentinels and Controllers prefer a less aggressive playstyle as their job involves setting up their teammates and watching for flanking enemies. A Sage rushing into a site alone to get kills is not playing as a team player.
This means that players who choose Duelists, agents designed to get kills, should generally top the scoreboard. Players in passive roles may have fewer kills but fulfill their specific responsibilities. Achieving 30 kills in a lobby does not necessarily determine success in VALORANT.
One player expressed their perspective, stating, “As a controller main…when you only get like 15 kills, it looks boring. I don’t know why they do this, even motivates people to insta-lock Reyna or Jett even more.”
Some players suggested that the only way to fully experience the skin’s VFX effects would be in Deathmatch or Team Deathmatch modes, where the primary goal is to accumulate kills.
“I guess Deathmatch/TDM will be the place for me to view it,” one player said. “Definitely not gonna happen in an unrated/competitive lobby for me.”
Players frustrated with VFX requirements
While the Champions 2023 bundle is expected to be popular due to its limited availability, some players are deterred by the high likelihood of never seeing the full VFX effects despite purchasing the skin. The VFX requirements seem to go against the objectives of VALORANT’s main modes, potentially incentivizing individual kill pursuits over teamwork.
VALORANT, Champions 2023 bundle, VFX, kills, skins