On October 22, Riot Games published the notes for patch 9.08 for Valorant. There will be balance changes for Gekko and Yoru, a rework for Sunset, and a new map glitch in Team Deathmatch. Below we will describe in more detail the changes in the patch:

READ MORE: Known agent changes in Act 3 Episode 9

Patch 9.08

Previously announced changes to the Sunset map are already in the game. There is also a new Team Deathmatch map available in the game called Glitch.

PThe set of cards has been rotated, "Bait" Yoru now interacts differently with some of the agents' skills, changes have been made to the Gekko skills (aka pets, aka radiovenoms, aka buddies), and much more.

All platforms

Agent changes

Gekko

Gekko

Since Gekko's skills were enhanced in duck 7.12, his basic pattern with the use and return of friends, in fact, has no (or almost no) disadvantages. The fresh changes to pets will force Gekko to pick them up more quickly, and will also create opportunities for more effective counterplay from Gekko's opponents. Now they can punish him for his rashness.

The Dizzy and Wingman receive upgrades that increase their overall reliability. This is to reduce the number of times you see or hear them catch an enemy and weaken them - only to find out that nothing happened to the enemy.

Dizzy is in a healthy state in terms of how often you successfully engage in its shooting counterplay, but we feel that Dizzy holds space and angles for too long. Additionally, given Gekko’s overall number of plants and defuses with Wingman , Thrash is available too frequently for its impact.

Globules

• Duration of existence in the form of balls has been reduced from 20 to 15 seconds.
• Return time increased from 1 to 1.5 seconds.

Dizzy

• Duration reduced from 1.5 to 1 second.
• The algorithm for choosing targets by Blob has been changed to increase the efficiency of use.
• Flash Dizzy now also blocks the view of affected players on the minimap.

Wingman

• Increased the angle of the cone concuss area 45 degrees >>> 65 degrees.When Wingman turns into a globule after planting the Spike there are unique visuals.
• Increased the angle of the cone concuss area 45 degrees >>> 65 degrees.. When Wingman turns into a globule after planting the Spike there are unique visuals.

Thrash

• Activation cost increased from 7 to 8 absolute skill points.

Yoru

To clones from "Lures"Yoru was not able to see the effects of various skills, making it easy to distinguish him from the real Yoru.

• Blind abilities like Gekko’s Dizzy and Vyse’s Arc Rose will now display the blind effect on Yoru’s Fakeout clone as if he was a real Agent.
• Vyse will play her Successful Blind celebration lines when blinding Yoru’s Fakeout clone.
• Cypher’s Neural Theft will show the Yoru’s Fakeout clone.
• Clove’s Meddle will now show the decay effect on Yoru’s Fakeout clone.

Skye and Jett

• Jett’s Tailwind  and Skye’s Trailblazer will no longer stop at the window in Ascent. Instead, they will bust through and continue movement onto the other side.

Changing Cosmetic Items

Riot changing the appearance of the reticle on some scopes to increase visibility and eliminate distractions. Here is a list of updated skins: Operator "Araxis", Operator "Brave Hero", Operator "Reaper", Marshal "Gothic".

Map Changes

Introducing Glitch, a new Team Deathmatch map.

• Map of the "5 by 5" format, which is an arena in a double design. This is the fifth map of the CBN mode. The scene is the glitched Maxbot arena.
• Glitch can be accessed through the queue of the Team Deathmatch game mode.

Set of cards

• Returning to ranked play Pearl and Split cards
• From the rating game are withdrawn Icebox and Lotus cards

Sunset

Riot changed point B on the Sunset map to increase its defenseability after installing Spike, as well as to diversify the ways of playing at the point itself. The main box at Exit B was creating a lot of problems after installing Spike, so we decided to simplify the terrain. Exit B is still playable after Spike is installed, but now it will be easier for the team trying to retake the point. Also, thanks to these changes, one insidious trick from Cypher will disappear.

Output B

Was:

Became:

Exit B outside

Was:

Became:

Point B

Was:

Became:

Point B from the reverse side

Was:

Became:

Tea B

Was:

Became:

Yard (mid)

Was:

Became:

Bug fixes

Abyss Map

• Spike will now correctly spawn at Hazard B if it falls off the edge of the map.

PC

Change Premier 

Stage E9A3 awaits you!

At the end of this stage, the top 16 teams will remain in the Featured Division. The remaining teams will be relegated at the beginning of the next stage. The corresponding rules are listed on the tournament tables tab.

• Teams that are relegated will return to the zones they previously left as a result of promotion. In the next step, team owners can change the zone in the Team Settings menu at any time - as long as the team has not played its first match.
• If a zone cannot be selected for a team at the start of the next stage, the team owner will be notified to select a zone themselves.
• Outside of the Featured Division, relegation will not apply anywhere: teams will either be promoted at the start of the next stage or remain in their previous division.

Changes to Competitive Division Eligibility

• If you have five players on your team who are eligible to enter the Competitive Division, you are guaranteed a spot in the Competitive Division.
• Eligibility for entry into the Competition Division as of 2024 lapses upon completion of Stage E9A3.

To be eligible to enter the Competitive Division for 2025, you and your team will be required to complete certain activities during Stage E9A3 (or at any time during 2025).

These are the steps:

• Play at least one weekly match or playoff match as a member of a Competitive or Featured Division team.
• Reach Immortal rank 3 or higher in a ranked game.
• Take part in a playoff match in the Elite 5 division.
• Eligibility for entry into the 2025 Competitive Division expires upon completion of the final stage of 2025.

Premier

• Fixed a bug due to which, after playing a practice match, a completely new team, even if it had not yet scored points, was displayed as a team with a participant’s emblem.