TL;DR
- RGX 11z Pro skins with kill counter feature causing significant FPS drops
- Riot Games disabled Level 5 variants as temporary solution while working on permanent fix
- Performance issues specifically tied to highest upgrade level’s kill tracking mechanics
- Players can still use lower-level variants without performance problems
- Expected resolution before skins leave market rotation with full functionality restored
Valorant’s innovative RGX 11z Pro weapon bundle introduced groundbreaking kill tracking technology that unfortunately triggered widespread performance degradation across player systems. The premium skin collection, priced at 8,700 Valorant Points, represented Riot Games’ first major innovation in weapon cosmetics following an extended period without significant new features.
The bundle’s standout feature was a sophisticated kill counter that displayed real-time elimination statistics through an integrated digital screen. This advanced functionality came at a cost to game performance, leading to the developer’s decision to temporarily restrict access to problematic variants.
As a stopgap, we're disabling purchases of Level 5 and variants for the guns in this skin set. You can still purchase all other levels and all the melee levels. A full fix is still in the works. Stay tuned. https://t.co/SrpEset3SO
— VALORANT (@VALORANT) October 8, 2021
Riot’s official statement confirmed: “As an interim measure, we’re blocking purchases of Level 5 and related variants within this skin collection. A comprehensive solution remains under active development.”
The RGX skin collection featured a minimalist aesthetic that contrasted with Valorant’s typically elaborate cosmetic designs, yet successfully captivated players through its innovative kill tracking system. The transparent weapon designs visually represented bullet trajectories while incorporating an elegant display that updated elimination counts each round. Enthusiastic adopters quickly experienced severe frame rate deterioration when utilizing RGX firearms in matches.
Numerous community members documented substantial FPS reductions immediately after equipping fully enhanced RGX cosmetics. Initially appearing as isolated incidents, competitive players identified the new collection as the common factor behind performance degradation. The premium skins, valued at 8,700 VP, were creating technical conflicts within the game engine, resulting in suboptimal performance.
Valorant’s premium content producer Preeti Khanolkar promptly addressed community concerns, verifying that the cosmetic items contained programming flaws.
Khanolkar stated: “Our team has been investigating these reports since Wednesday evening Pacific Time (shortly after the skins became available). We conducted performance evaluations prior to release but overlooked this specific issue. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your confidence in our commitment to resolution.”
Following the official acknowledgment, Riot Games launched a thorough technical investigation that successfully identified the root cause. The kill counter functionality appears central to the performance complications. Basic weapon levels function normally, but the maximum upgrade tier initiates frame rate instability during gameplay.
The RGX collection includes five upgrade tiers—the most extensive progression system currently available—with the final level creating the performance interference. To manage this situation, Riot has temporarily deactivated level five across all weapons in the series.
Gamers continue to have access to RGX firearms but cannot enable the ultimate upgrade stage until technical corrections are deployed. Prospective purchasers shouldn’t avoid acquiring these skins since the technical problem is resolvable and implementation is anticipated shortly.
The development team hasn’t provided specific timing details, but resolution is expected rapidly, likely within days before the cosmetics exit the marketplace rotation. This approach mirrors how weapon performance optimization in BF6 weapon systems requires careful balancing between visual features and performance impact.
For players currently experiencing performance issues, several temporary solutions can help mitigate the FPS drops while awaiting the official fix. Lowering graphical settings, particularly particle effects and visual fidelity options, may reduce the performance impact. Additionally, avoiding the RGX skins entirely until the patch releases represents the most effective current workaround.
The technical team’s investigation revealed that the kill counter’s real-time rendering demands excessive GPU resources at higher visual settings. This parallels the importance of understanding game optimization principles found in other competitive shooters where visual complexity must balance with performance requirements.
Community testing indicates that systems with higher-end graphics cards experience less severe performance degradation, suggesting the issue relates to rendering efficiency rather than fundamental incompatibility. Players should monitor official channels for patch announcements and consider testing the skins in practice ranges before competitive matches once the fix deploys.
Similar to strategic considerations in class selection, choosing when to utilize feature-rich cosmetics requires strategic decision-making based on system capabilities and performance priorities.
Action Checklist
- Check current RGX skin level and avoid using Level 5 variants
- Monitor FPS performance in practice range before competitive matches
- Adjust graphics settings to lower particle effects and visual quality
- Follow official Valorant social channels for patch announcement updates
- Test skins after patch deployment in controlled environments
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Riot disables kill tracker skins after FPS drop issue Valorant RGX skins causing FPS drops: Riot's temporary fix and what players need to know
