Valorant update 1.06 nerfs air shotgun, fixes bugs

The latest Valorant patch focuses on quality of life and bug fixes.

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With a successful Act 2 launch in the rearview mirror, Riot Games is back to business as usual with Valorant. In pursuit to make the most balanced tactical shooter possible, the developer is constantly making updates and tweaking gameplay. Valorant update 1.06 is rolling in, and takes aim at a number of bugs, as well as the game’s shotguns.

Following a company-wide week off, Riot Games is back with the first patch for Valorant Act 2. With little changes made to the game’s agents, Patch 1.06 addresses gameplay and mechanics. Dubbed the “Air Shotgun Update” by Riot itself, 1.06 nerfs the power of shotguns while in the air.

Phoenix's curveball is used to flash enemy players around corners.

“There's been overly frustrating moments where people are accurate with these weapons while in the air. We hope to curb some of those encounters while still making them possible if you catch an opponent at a short distance,” the developer shared. The shotgun spread penalty while in the air has been increased from .5 to 1.25.

The only agent tweak in Valorant patch 1.06 is an audio change for Phoenix and Breach. “The audio and visuals for blinding effects (Phoenix Curveball and Breach Flashpoint) should better indicate when to turn away, and when it's safe to look again," Riot shared. This change serves to make things a bit more fair for players attempting to avoid flashes. 

Valorant update 1.06 also addresses several minor interface and gameplay issues. A detailed list of these changes can be found on the Valorant website. In the pantheon of Valorant updates, 1.06 is certainly one of the lightest yet. With Killjoy being recently introduced to the game, it stands to reason that Riot Games is closely monitoring her impact, and could address her in a future update.

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_

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