As fans of the popular FPS game Valorant may know, Riot Games has a history of experimenting with unique map layouts. While some of these experiments, such as Bind's lack of a middle area and Fracture's split spawn, have been well-received by players, others have been met with more controversy. One such map is Haven, which features a triple site design that has sparked discussion among the community.
Despite any potential backlash, it appears that Riot is continuing on with their plan to bring more unique map layouts to Valorant. This was hinted at in the recently released episode 6 cinematic, titled "Revelation". In a scene set in a nightclub, Alpha earth agent Fade is shown stealing a mobile device from a bouncer and taking a sneak peek at a glowing radar displaying a map with three different points. This is later confirmed to be a triple site location in India, where Harbor and Astra are shown entering the city.
While the episode 6 cinematic was filled with emotion and mystery, fans of the game were likely more interested in any clues it might provide about the upcoming map, which will be released on January 9 as part of the episode. This map, referred to as "map nine", will also become available for play for the rest of the episode. In addition to the debut of map nine, Valorant episode 6 will mark the return of Split, with Breeze and Bind being removed from the pool for the duration of the episode.
It remains to be seen whether or not the triple site map teased in the episode 6 cinematic will be met with the same level of controversy as Haven, but one thing is certain: Riot Games is committed to bringing new and unique map designs to Valorant. Whether or not these designs will be embraced by the community remains to be seen, but it's clear that Riot is not afraid to take risks in order to keep the game fresh and exciting for players.
