Valorant has been quite popular in the past few days. With Valorant Champions Tour or VCT just finished, the eyes have turned back to the game itself. Recently, the developers revealed that Chamber and Fade were going to be readjusted. This did spark a bit of relief as well as sorrow in the heart of the fans.
However, today we have something else to put on the chopping block. Changes are being made to Valorant’s latest map Pearl. Before we head there, let’s look at what you will find throughout this article.
Key Takeaways
- Get to explore some of the latest changes made to Pearl.
- Compare the before and after of certain places on the map.
- General audience response to these changes.
Pearl Changes
Not too long ago, we at toptierlist found the user @ValorLeaks, who shared the latest details about the changes being made to Pearl. From my personal experience, I have only seen people hating this map. It is rarely ever not dodged, but then again, this is the case with every new map Valorant releases.
Pearl Changes (Thread / Before & After) | #VALORANT
> Art: Removed Boxes
> A Main: Wall has been moved in to help smoke easier. A Main Cubby will also be moved in a bit. pic.twitter.com/elC3LhvGgq— Mike | Valorant Leaks & News (@ValorLeaks) September 20, 2022
In his Tweet, Mike gave us excellent before and after shots of what the map changes will look like. From the first view, it is clear that Riot did not like having so many 50/50 corners on one map. I suggest you check out Mike’s entire thread for all the changes. However, first, let’s discuss some of the major changes made here.
Art Boxes
The first change evident in the tweet above is the Art Box change. I think that this is a great change because it declutters mid. That area already had way too many boxes to begin with. It’s nice to see some of them ago. Additionally, it was a horrible 50/50 angle for attacks, so it’s nice to see some of the sites become more attacker sided.
Mid Changes
Finally, the mid-shop corner that some Reyna and Chamber players love to camp has been removed. This change is fantastic because it removes another 50/50 angle that opens up the map a little bit more. How this will affect the broken sage wall over that corner is yet to be seen.
Secondly, the mind window area was also pushed in. I am sure that you have been caught several times by camping duelists in that little corner but not to worry, as you have one less corner to worry about. Additionally, it removes the safety of just holding Art without being exposed to double doors on mid.
B Site Changes
Last but not least, the other changes we will discuss are all B-site changes. Firstly, the B Main Wall has been lowered, so no sneaky Omen’s or Jett’s will remain completely hidden in that corner. Countless times have we been punished from that corner even after clearing it, well, not anymore.
Secondly, the double box over on B-Link has also been removed. This is another change that favors attackers more than defenders. It removes one more corner for us to hard clear and also removes a very common utility spot for some agents.
What did the fans think?
It is yet to be seen how these changes will affect the overall feel of the map, but for now, let’s look at what the players think. Under this same thread, many fans and pro players have expressed ecstatically what they think about these changes.
Pretty good changes overall! Removed some 50/50s.
B main will still be an issue. They need more cover there, not less.
Also, making it a curve as well like a banana shape.Having it as a straight open area just doesn't work well.
Defenders can't take space & get back safely.— Tony D (@RealTonyD2) September 20, 2022
A good majority of people are glad that they removed many of the “Rat” spots from the map. In addition, they also love the idea of removing so many 50/50 angles, which I am in favor of.
However, a group has come to hate the map even more. The biggest criticism is that Riot did not fix any of the main issues of the map, namely the B Site. It is a fair point because it is reminiscent of the old Icebox B Site, an absolute mess. But let’s see how these changes affect gameplay after the patch is pushed.