Valorant devs go after AFKers with patch v2.03

Teamwork is key to success in Valorant, Riot's 5v5 tactical shooter, sadly, it's often common to find yourself at a disadvantage due to a player leaving the match for inactivity with the developers preparing harsher punishments for those that go AFK a bit too much.

In developer update, Sara Dadafshar and Lea of the Social and Player Dynamics team shared that, starting with patch v2.04, a more concise set of penalties will make their way to the game.

• Warnings
• XP denial for the games in which you were AFK’d
• Small deductions from your ranked rating for pre-game dodges
• Deductions from your ranked rating for in-game AFKing (Patch 2.03)
• Increased queue restrictions
• Barred entry from ranked games
• VALORANT game bans

Chat toxicity in Valorant 

(Image: Riot Games)

Coming with patch v2.04, text-based offences will also be targetted with more strictness. "We’ve introduced more nuance to the system, and penalties escalate with both the frequency and severity of the offence," the update states.

The penalties include: 

• Warnings
• Comms bans
• Extended comms bans
• Ranked queue bans
• Game bans
• Extended game bans

There is still a big important point worth mentioning according to the devs: "Our current text evaluation systems can’t discern who started the rage war. If we see you saying awful things, you’ll get flagged, no matter who threw it down first."

• Read more: Valorant v2.02 patch notes: Run and gun nerfed, rank changes, more

The recommendation is that you report the harassment immediately rather than directly engaging with it. 

Valorant reporter feedback

Finally, scheduled for patch v2.05, players will be notified when their report has been acted upon, reassuring them that the systems in place are working properly,

"Version 1 of this will require you to be logged into the game client to receive the feedback, but we’re on our way to a system where we can notify you outside the game."

For more on Valorant, check out the leaked mode that will come with patch v2.03 called Escalation.