Valorant v1.09 update: Variant changes and first melee skins

If you want to unlock a specific Variant in Valorant right now, for example, a final skin, you will need to first unlock all the skins before it. With Valorant update v1.09, Riot Games is making a change where players can pick which Variant to unlock.

Valorant Variant unlock change

In a recent "Ask Valorant" post, Riot Games answered fan questions. One of the most requested changes by the community is how players should be able to pick which Variant they want to unlock.

• Read more: Valorant Twitch Prime Drops: How you can get your hands on some free cosmetics

In Valorant update v1.09, Riot Games plans to make changes to Variant unlocks which should make players very happy.

Miles "Riot Usury" Metzger, the Revenue Strategist of Riot Games, explains:

"Starting with Patch 1.09 players will be able to select any variant they want. Weapon skins will still need to be fully evolved to unlock variants, but after doing so, you’ll be able to pick whichever one is most appealing to you."

(Picture: Riot Games)

To make things clear, you will still need to use your Radianite to upgrade finishers and VFX animations first. However, after this is done, you will be able to pick which Variant you want to unlock. 

Keep in mind we are only at Valorant version v1.07 right now, so it might be more than a month before these changes go live. 

Valorant melee skins

Riot Games didn't give an indication when, or with which patch, Valorant melee skins will start appearing, so don't expect them to arrive in Valorant v1.09.

• Read more: Valorant's combat score to get reworked to fairer reward players

However, Riot Games do plan to add melee skins to the game. 

Sean Marino, Art Lead, and Preeti Khanolkar, Producer, explained Riot's plans with melee skins: "We've read the frequent posts asking a version of this question and it's definitely something we'd like to have in VALORANT too."

"So for one of our upcoming skin lines, we're going to test out variants on melee weapons. Consider it a limited test to see whether this is something desired by enough players for our small team to commit to. We'll evaluate and determine what is needed from our end to pursue variants on future melees, if it's something that players really want."

Melee skins of some lines can definitely look amazing, and it is great to see Riot listen to the community.