TL;DR
- Valorant’s ranked mode testing begins in weeks to address current matchmaking imbalances
- Skill disparities between FPS newcomers and CS:GO veterans create frustrating gameplay experiences
- Community bug reports reveal Sage ability exploits and other technical issues needing fixes
- Raze’s damage-dealing kit sparks widespread balance concerns among players and streamers
- Riot’s iterative development approach uses player feedback to refine gameplay before launch
Riot Games confirms Valorant’s competitive ranked mode will launch following extensive closed beta testing and community input.
Within days of the closed beta’s debut, development teams initiated major system adjustments based on player experiences. The ranked implementation responds directly to consistent matchmaking complaints from beta testers. A notable community member publicly questioned Riot about competitive feature timelines via social media platforms.
“Please announce ranked in beta. Unrated solo queue is too hard for me,” one participant shared, accompanying their tweet with evidence of severely unbalanced match outcomes.
The original poster demonstrated exceptional performance with a 561 average combat score and 146 economy rating. Their closest competitor trailed significantly at 296 combat score and 90 economy rating. The absence of skill-based matchmaking creates situations where FPS beginners face professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive veterans. This mismatch diminishes enjoyment for casual participants while preventing skilled players from meaningful competition and skill development against appropriately matched opponents.
Game director Joe Ziegler addressed community concerns by confirming competitive testing phases would commence within weeks.
Our first “rated” testing is coming in a couple weeks, stay tuned.
— Ziegler (@RiotZiegler)April 10, 2020
“Our matchmaking algorithm consistently strives to create equitable matches,” Ziegler explained. “The system currently undergoes calibration while we implement adjustments based on gameplay analytics. As match volume increases and data accumulates, participants should experience progressively balanced competitive environments.”
Player Contributions Through Feedback and Bug Discovery
Beta testers identified numerous technical issues throughout the testing period, with most representing minor glitches already in Riot’s development pipeline. Among reported problems, Sage’s abilities enabled unintended positional advantages through environmental exploits and other technical inconsistencies.
“We appreciate all bug reports submitted—your contributions directly enhance game quality!” Ziegler acknowledged.
Effective bug reporting requires specific details: reproduce the issue consistently, document exact reproduction steps, note your hardware configuration, and capture video evidence when possible. These practices accelerate development team resolution timelines significantly.
Balance concerns emerged as predominant feedback themes, particularly regarding agent roster equilibrium. Many participants consider Raze excessively powerful due to her high-damage ability kit. Prominent streaming personalities joined community discussions, expressing concerns about her combat effectiveness. Some players advocated for her temporary removal from the game entirely pending adjustments. Riot hasn’t disclosed specific Raze modification plans pre-launch, but confirmed to content creator Jaryd “summit1g” Lazar they’re evaluating each agent’s strategic role within the game ecosystem.
“We extend gratitude to active participants providing valuable feedback that informs balance tuning and technical fixes in upcoming updates as we progress toward official launch. For those awaiting beta access, we’re expanding participation capacity. Thank you for your continued support,” Ziegler concluded.
Understanding agent balance requires analyzing several factors: ability cooldown management, ultimate economy strategies, map-specific effectiveness, and counter-pick dynamics. Advanced players recommend mastering at least three different agents to maintain flexibility across various team compositions and map configurations.
Action Checklist
- Document and report matchmaking imbalance evidence through screenshots and detailed descriptions
- Test agent abilities in custom games to identify potential exploits or bugs
- Provide constructive balance feedback focusing on specific ability interactions and game situations
- Master multiple agents to understand balance dynamics from different perspectives
- Participate in community discussions to share experiences and learn from other players’ insights
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Valorant developers announce new Ranked Mode coming to closed beta Valorant's ranked mode development, agent balancing challenges, and community feedback during closed beta testing