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Valorant update 1.05 adds Killjoy and Deathmatch, nerfs Raze

The new Valorant patch kicks off Act 2 of Ignition.

Donovan Erskine

August 4, 2020 9:00 AM

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Valorant Act 2 is officially underway as update 1.05 begins to roll out. One of the biggest patches yet, 1.05 adds a new agent, game mode, as well as several other gameplay tweaks. With Act 1 in the rearview mirror, we have a much better understanding of Riot Games content plan and philosophy when it comes to new Valorant content.

After some teasing, Riot Games revealed Killjoy as Valorant’s 12th agent. Also known as “The Genius of Germany”, Killjoy is an inventor that uses gadgets and robots to get the upper hand on opponents. Killjoy officially joins the Valorant roster in update 1.05. The new character headlines the list of patch notes posted to the Valorant website.

Raze has been a hot topic in Valorant since the game’s closed beta. Her arsenal of explosives, particularly her devastating Showstopper ultimate ability makes her a serious threat at all times. Riot Games addresses some of the issues with Raze in patch 1.05, dealing her a couple of nerfs. The Showstopper’s equip time has been increased from 1.1 to 1.4 seconds. Also, Blast Pack’s damage has been dropped from 75 to 50.

Another big addition in Valorant update 1.05 is Deathmatch mode. Removing spike objectives and abilities, Deathmatch pits players against each other in free-for-all matches that put gun skills to the test. Matches are won by the first player to reach 30 kills, or whoever has the most kills after 6 minutes of play. Deathmatch will be a great opportunity for those looking to improve their skills, without the stress that comes with playing competitive mode. 

Patch 1.05 introduces the previously announced Act Ranks. Compiled using your 9 best wins as well as number of total wins over the course of an act, Act Ranks are Riot’s way of memorializing your competitive performance over the span of a given act. 

There’s quite a bit going on in Valorant update 1.05. With Act 2 commencing, there’s plenty of new content for players to jump in and explore. For more on the competitive FPS, be sure to bookmark our Valorant guide hub.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_