TL;DR
- Riot Games disabled all Valorant queues due to a game-breaking flash immunity exploit
- Players discovered a simple HUD setting change that makes agents immune to blinds
- The bug affects Skye, Kay/O, and Phoenix but not Omen or Fade
- Emergency response included immediate testing and public announcements via Twitter
- Jett super dash bugs represent ongoing challenges in ability interaction mechanics
Valorant’s competitive matchmaking system experienced an unprecedented shutdown when developers identified a severe flash immunity vulnerability. This emergency measure highlights how critical game balance issues can disrupt the entire ecosystem.
While Valorant typically maintains numerous minor glitches that don’t significantly impact gameplay, certain exploits demand immediate intervention. The development team regularly addresses these issues in patch cycles, but some bugs present such immediate threats that they require instant remediation. The recently discovered flash bypass represents exactly this category of urgent vulnerability.
Community members uncovered a dangerously simple method to replicate this game-breaking flaw, forcing Riot Games to take drastic containment measures. The company’s swift queue disablement demonstrates their commitment to competitive integrity.

Gameplay analysts discovered that manipulating specific HUD configuration settings completely neutralizes flash effects from multiple agents. This represents a significant escalation from previous exploit methods that required complex scoreboard manipulation techniques.
The exploit’s creator, player sw1ze, demonstrated that minimal adjustments to interface settings could eliminate blind effects entirely. Earlier versions of this vulnerability demanded intricate timing and positioning near scoreboard displays to avoid abilities from agents like Skye, Kay/O, and Phoenix. However, the current iteration simplifies replication to a single configuration change, creating widespread accessibility concerns.
Testing confirmed the exploit’s consistent functionality across multiple match scenarios, presenting an unacceptable competitive advantage. The consistency of successful replication across various game situations made this particularly dangerous for ranked play integrity.
Riot’s development team implemented immediate queue suspensions across all Valorant game modes following verification of the exploit’s severity. Their public communication strategy included immediate Twitter announcements to ensure community awareness.
The vulnerability demonstrates selective agent impact—while it effectively neutralizes flashes from Skye, Kay/O, and Phoenix, it remains ineffective against Omen’s and Fade’s blind mechanics. This selective functionality suggests underlying engine-level issues with how certain ability effects are processed through the HUD system.
Competitive queues remain suspended while engineers develop and deploy a comprehensive fix. Although no official timeline has been published, historical precedent suggests resolutions for critical bugs typically require 24-48 hours before competitive matchmaking can safely resume operations.
The Jett super dash represents a separate category of persistent mechanical exploits that continue to challenge developers. This specific bug combines Jett’s Tailwind dash with Updraft ability interactions to generate unexpected movement velocity.
Development teams consistently patch newly discovered super dash variations, but the gaming community’s ingenuity continually uncovers fresh iterations. This ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic highlights the complexity of maintaining perfect ability interactions in a constantly evolving competitive environment.
These movement exploits demonstrate how subtle interaction timing between abilities can create unintended mechanical advantages. While less game-breaking than the flash immunity exploit, super dashes still represent significant balance concerns that require vigilant monitoring and rapid response protocols.
Competitive players should regularly verify their HUD settings match standard competitive configurations to avoid accidental exploit activation. Maintaining default interface settings ensures you’re not unintentionally benefiting from configuration-based exploits that could compromise your account standing.
When encountering suspicious gameplay, utilize the official bug reporting system with detailed match information. Include specific round timestamps and agent matchups to help developers quickly identify and resolve emerging vulnerabilities before they impact the broader competitive landscape.

Advanced players should monitor patch notes for specific ability interaction fixes and adjust their gameplay accordingly. Understanding which mechanics have been recently adjusted helps maintain competitive awareness and prevents reliance on potentially patched exploit techniques.
Action Checklist
- Verify HUD settings match default competitive configurations after each major patch
- Report any suspicious flash interactions through official channels with match details
- Monitor @PlayVALORANT Twitter for emergency maintenance announcements
- Check server status before queuing for competitive matches during bug outbreaks
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » This game-breaking glitch is why Valorant queues are disabled Understanding Valorant's critical flash exploit and how Riot Games responded with emergency queue shutdowns
