The newly introduced feature allowing players to block others, which was added in the latest patch, has been temporarily disabled due to a bug affecting its functionality. Here are more details on the issue.

The New Feature

A new feature in Valorant allowed players to block others who they found disruptive or unpleasant. Once a player was blocked, all communication with them, including chat messages, voice comms, party invites, and friend requests, would no longer be visible. However, due to a bug that caused concern within the community, this feature has been temporarily disabled.

READ MORE: Console players receive unique rewards for Radiant rank, while PC players get identical gunbuddies

The Bug

The bug in question allowed blocked players' nicknames to be visible even if they had the name-hiding feature enabled. This issue arose because players could access their blocked list and see the nicknames of those they had blocked. This loophole opened the door for abuse, particularly stream sniping, where players deliberately seek out streamers or pro players in-game to disrupt their play.

Conclusion

Disabling the new blocking feature in Valorant was a necessary step to address privacy concerns. The bug, which revealed hidden nicknames, posed a potential threat to fair gameplay and the comfort of users, especially streamers and pro players. Riot will likely prioritize fixing this issue to ensure player privacy and a better experience for all.