Following the conclusion of VALORANT Masters Madrid, Riot Games has uncovered an unintended change to the agent Viper in-game. The recent patch introduced a reduction in the duration of Viper’s smoke ability, along with a decrease in the cooldown of the controller’s skill.
However, Riot Games has announced that they will not be addressing this issue until the next update, citing Viper’s dominance in the current meta as a factor.
How was Viper Silently Nerfed?
With the release of Patch 7.01, an unintended nerf to Viper’s smoke ability occurred, reducing its duration by nearly three seconds. This adjustment was not documented in the patch notes and went unnoticed until recently.
“During our most recent balance pass, we discovered that Viper’s smoke uptime is shortened in-game. This is due to an update that had unintentionally shipped in 7.09 resulting in reduced smoke duration and cooldown after deactivating Viper’s smoke,” stated Riot Games in a recent announcement.
The reduction in Viper’s smoke duration directly impacts the agent’s playstyle across all skill levels. Despite the unintended nerf, Viper has maintained a strong presence in the meta.
Riot Games’ Response
While some players have voiced concerns over the undocumented change, Riot Games emphasized their commitment to transparent communication. However, due to Viper’s continued dominance in the meta, they have decided not to revert the change before the next update.
During our most recent balance pass, we discovered that Viper’s smoke uptime is shortened in-game. This is due to an update that had unintentionally shipped in 7.09 resulting in reduced smoke duration and cooldown after deactivating Viper’s smoke.
While we hadn’t meant for these…
— VALORANT (@VALORANT) April 2, 2024
“We’d never intentionally make balance changes without messaging. But since Viper has proven such a dominant force in the meta even with her smoke duration reduction, we will not be reverting the change before the next update,” stated Riot Games.
Players should prepare to adapt to the lower smoke duration and cooldown for Viper until the next update, where potential adjustments may be made.
Potential Return of the VALORANT Night Market
In other news, reports suggest that the VALORANT Night Market may be making a comeback soon. The Night Market offers players discounted cosmetics, with skin offerings varying per account. While the skins do not refresh upon purchase, players may have the opportunity to acquire their favorite skins at a discounted price.
Stay tuned for further updates on Viper’s adjustments and the potential return of the VALORANT Night Market in future patches.
NERF DA VIPER: 🐍
Voltei aqui com atualizações do caso: Nerf na Smoke da Viper.Bom, depois de muitas horas, eu descobri que houve um nerf silencioso que não foi mencionado nos patch notes. Isso ocorreu no Patch 7.01 ou 7.02, entre julho e agosto de 2023.
No vídeo abaixo,… pic.twitter.com/FLvXjN23Ds
— KINGDOM LABORATORIES | LORE | GAMES (@XKLaboratories) March 29, 2024
Final Toughts
VALORANT players should prepare for potential changes to Viper’s smoke ability in the upcoming Patch 8.08. Additionally, keep an eye out for the return of the VALORANT Night Market, where discounted cosmetics may be available.