[Update #2]: Valorant is getting a chilly and zipline focused new map this October 13th - the Icebox.

[Update]: Valorant has now finally nerfed the incredibly potent Operator sniper rifle.

If you've been playing Valorant for any significant amount of time, then you've most likely ended up in a situation where you play one map over and over again. For me, the record is landing into Ascent five times in a row, while Bind appears so incredibly rarely I once got jump-scared by someone using the teleporter since I haven't heard that in an entire week!

Obviously, this sort of thing is not ideal, especially for a game with only four maps. As such, I am very happy to say that Riot has now made the map selection pseudo-random, and thus less likely to chuck you onto the same map over and over again. Naturally, since Valorant isn't a singleplayer game there's still a fair chance you'll see repeats, but it should definitely be a lot better than before.

Speaking of being better than before, the Guardian has received some sizable buffs. It now costs 100 less which brings the price down to 2400, while its fire rate has been improved from 4.75 to 5.25 rounds per second. And to top it all off, the weapon recovery has gone from .35 after three bullets to .2925 after three bullets. What all of this means is that the Guardian will no longer be easy pray in close range combat, though it's still advisable to stay far away and aim for those one-shot headshots.

However, whether these buffs are enough to make it worth grabbing, that still remains to be seen. The problem with the Guardian is that it's a little bit too pricey for what it does, and since it can't really compete with the big boy rifles (Vandal and Phantom), going all-in on it is an extremely risky proposition from an economy standpoint. Still, I do hope these buffs help carve it a nice and comfortable niche.

The patch has also nerfed Raze's blast pack, spruced up the observer mode, and as you might expect, fixed up a couple of bugs. If you're interested in the details, you can find the full patch notes over at the Valorant website.

Have fun with the new Guardian!