Valorant goes underwater with new Pearl map in Episode 5

Riot Games will go back to basics with Valorant's 8th map, Pearl.

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When Valorant Episode 5 begins next week, the game will introduce new cosmetics and Battlepass. Most importantly, it will add Pearl, the game’s eighth map. Set in an underwater city, Pearl is a much more traditional tactical shooter map, leaving the gimmicks behind in favor of a standard three-lane setup. Riot Games has shared additional details in advance to the official launch next week.

Pearl is the first Valorant map set on Omega Earth, an alternate version of Earth in the game’s lore. It’s the first map set here and will likely feature implications for the greater mythos. Those more concerned with the structure of the map itself will likely appreciate that Pearl features a three-lane design, with Attackers descending into Defender territory. There’s some Portuguese inspiration in the design, as players will find murals from Portuguese muralists around the map and hear Portuguese music when loading in.

The loading screen for the Pearl map in Valorant.

Episode 5 Act 1 also adds a fresh batch of new cosmetics, including the Task Force 809, Spitfire, and Shimmer skin lines. There is also a slew of Buddies, Sprays, and Player Cards to add to your collection.

Valorant Episode 5 Act 1 begins on June 22, 2022, and adds the new Pearl map, as well as a Battlepass that features a crop of new unlockable rewards. For more news on Riot Games’ tactical shooter, be sure to bookmark Shacknews’ Valorant topic page.

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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