Esports News: VALORANT Under Fire for Expensive Cosmetics
The prices of cosmetics in the free-to-play tactical shooter, VALORANT, have once again sparked controversy among the gaming community.
Yesterday’s release of the Oni Collection has ignited a debate within the VALORANT community. The high cost of Radianite, the currency used to upgrade skins, has caused dissatisfaction among players. However, some argue that since VALORANT is a free game, players are not obligated to spend any money on it.
A quick search for “Radianite” on the game’s subreddit reveals several posts discussing the in-game currency. Some players are advocating for its abolition, while others are tired of hearing complaints about it. One clever fan even compared the titles of Reddit posts to the Five Stages of Grief, in a humorous reference to their psychology class.
In VALORANT, players can purchase weapon cosmetics using Valorant Points (VP). Premier skins, such as those in the Oni or Elderflame Collections, can be upgraded using Radianite to unlock unique animations and color variations. Initially, players must buy the skin with VP and then spend additional money to enhance it with special effects—this comes at a cost.
Related: VALORANT’s Elderflame Collection will captivate you but also burn a hole in your wallet: A review
Let’s do the math. For instance, to purchase 80 Radianite, players need to spend 4,800 VP (around $45). Buying a single gun from the Oni Collection costs 1,775 VP (approximately $17). To fully upgrade an Oni weapon, it requires 75 Radianite. So, a fully customized Oni Phantom can cost players over $60.
There are ways to get discounts, such as buying the entire skin bundle or earning a limited amount of Radianite through the $10 battle pass. Additionally, players can always pick up weapons from fallen enemies instead of spending money.
The selling of cosmetics is a proven model for free-to-play games. Companies need to generate profits to create more content, potentially organize tournaments, and sustain the game. Therefore, it is unlikely that this system will change soon.
VALORANT, esports news, tactical shooter, controversy, cosmetics, Radianite, VALORANT community, weapon cosmetics, Premier skins, Oni Collection, Elderflame Collection, Valorant Points, upgrades, unique animations, color variations, free-to-play games, profits, tournaments, gaming community.