Riot Games’ free-to-play first-person tactical hero shooter Valorant was first teased under the codename Project A in 2019. A year later in April, the game began a closed beta with limited access and was officially released on 2nd June 2020 for players across the globe. Now, three years later, Valorant has a loyal fan base with players grinding through the ranked ladders day-in and day-out.
While there were only four maps available at launch, this number has increased significantly in the last couple of years, making the game more interesting. Riot Games has been steadily introducing new agents and maps to make players’ experiences better and to make matches novel and more enjoyable.
Here are all the maps that have been released so far in Valorant.
All the Maps in Valorant (2023)
About the maps, Riot Games says, "Each map is a playground to showcase your creative thinking. Purpose-built for team strategies, spectacular plays, and clutch moments.."
Interestingly, each map in Valorant is based on a real-life location in the world, and the coordinates are displayed on the loading screen when players enter a game on that map.
Currently, there are ten playable maps in Valorant, with an extra one for practice and training new players, called The Range.
Let's take a closer look at all Valorant maps that have been released so far:
Ascent
Split
Bind
Haven
Icebox
Breeze
Fracture
Pearl
Lotus
Sunset
Valorant Map Bind
Bind is one of the first available maps since the closed beta. The official description of Bind reads, “Two sites. No middle. Gotta pick left or right. What’s it going to be then? Both offer direct paths for attackers and a pair of one-way teleporters make it easier to flank.”
Bind is located in Morocco's capital city of Rabat. Interestingly, Rabat is also Cypher’s hometown. The lore-accurate location of Bind isRabat-Salé-Kénitra, Morocco on the Alpha Earth. This map is currently available in the rotation for unrated and ranked modes.
Ascent
Ascent was reportedly one of the very first maps that they pieced together on Valorant. Riot Games also stated that it was the place where much of the core gameplay of Valorant was developed and refined. Ascent is located in San Marco, Venice, Italy in Alpha Earth according to Valorant’s lore. This map is a classic with two sites A and B and an open mid area for long-range fights.
Split
Split is one of the first four maps that was released when the game came out. The map's location is based on the Shinjuku district of Japan's capital, Tokyo. Split is one of the handful Valorant maps that use rope ascenders and there are three sets on the map. This map also features two sites.
Riot Games describes Split, "If you want to go far, you’ll have to go up. A pair of sites split by an elevated center allows for rapid movement using two rope ascenders. Each site is built with a looming tower vital for control. Remember to watch above before it all blows sky-high."
Haven
Haven is a very interesting map in Valorant. This old map has three sites and it is quite big in comparison to the others. The map is based on a monastery set in Bhutan's capital city of Thimphu. The official description of the map reads, "Beneath a forgotten monastery, a clamour emerges from rival Agents clashing to control three sites. There’s more territory to control, but defenders can use the extra real estate for aggressive pushes."
A fun fact about this map is that you can spot a card/poster advertising Breeze in A-site Tower.
Icebox
Icebox was the fifth map to be released in Valorant and it is based on Bennett Island, Sakha, Far Eastern Federal District in Russia. Notably, it is the first map that introduced horizontal ziplines to the game as seen at A Site. Additionally, each Icebox site boasts a complex combat space that require players to make use of cover and verticality, relying on skirmishes, sharp aim, and adaptive play. Icebox is also first map where the plant site has different levels of elevation.
Breeze
When you talk to Valorant players, they would either hate Breeze or absolutely adore it. Riot Games describes this sixth map, "Take in the sights of historic ruins or seaside caves on this tropical paradise. But bring some cover. You'll need them for the wide open spaces and long range engagements. Watch your flanks and this will be a Breeze."
This map is based on Bermuda Triangle in the Atlantic Ocean. With two sites, the map has some unique features. They are as follows:
Rope ascenders
Mechanical door
One-way automatic chute
It recently underwent a lot of changes when it was pulled out of the rotation. You can read about all of those changes to the map from this article.
Fracture
The seventh map that was released in Valorant is Fracture, which is set in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. According to the lore, it is a top secret research facility which was split apart by a failed radianite experiment. The best part about Fracture is its unique design that splits up the map into four neutral quadrants.
The map has two plant sites and the following features:
Automatic door
One-way automatic ziplines
Rope ascenders
Pearl
The eighth map in Valorant is named Pearl and is based on the real life location of Lisbon in Portugal. This map brought a breath of fresh air to the game, breaking away from some of the more strategic maps that were earlier released including Icebox, Breeze and Fracture. Pearl is a straight-forward map with two sites and features a three-lane setup. Additionally, the map also does not contain any dynamic elements or mechanical hooks for gameplay.
Lotus
Named Lotus, the ninth map in Valorant is situated in the Western Ghats of India on Omega Earth. The map rightly encapsulates the visuals of an ancient temple with lush greenery, step-wells, and structures inspired by Indo architecture. As the name suggests, it also features beautiful, humongous pink Lotus motifs on the top of the temple structures.
Similar to Valorant’s Haven, Lotus also features three sites for attackers to enter and plant. Some of the other highlights of this map are:
Rope ascender
400 HP destructible wall
Rotating doorways
Silent drop
Sunset
Sunset is the latest and tenth map to be released in Valorant and it was introduced into the game with Patch 7.04. It is set in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California in the United States but in the Alpha Earth, according to the lore. The only map highlight or feature is the 500 HP irreversible bomb doors found between B Market and Mid Courtyard. It is a more traditional map with two sites (A and B) and three lanes.
In 2022, Riot Games made it clear that it wants to operate with a total of seven maps in both unrated and competitive queues. The maps that are currently in rotation (September 2023) in Valorant are as follows:
Ascent
Bind
Breeze
Haven
Lotus
Split
Sunset
Riot Games said, "Sunset will now be in the map rotation for Competitive mode. Competitive map rotation includes: Sunset, Breeze, Ascent, Haven, Bind, Split, and Lotus."
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As a seasoned enthusiast deeply immersed in the realm of Valorant, I bring forth a wealth of firsthand expertise and a profound understanding of the game's intricate details. Having closely followed Riot Games' developments and updates, I can provide comprehensive insights into Valorant's evolution, including its maps, agents, and gameplay dynamics.
Now, delving into the article on Valorant's maps, Riot Games has undoubtedly crafted a compelling narrative around the game's progression. From its initial teaser as Project A in 2019 to the closed beta in April 2020 and the subsequent global release on June 2, 2020, Valorant has undeniably grown into a formidable force in the world of tactical hero shooters.
The article highlights Riot Games' commitment to enhancing player experiences by consistently introducing new agents and expanding the map pool. As of the latest information in 2023, there are ten playable maps in Valorant, each designed to be a strategic playground for creative thinking, team strategies, and clutch moments.
Let's delve into the specifics of each map:
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Bind:
- Location: Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, Morocco
- Description: Two sites with no middle, featuring one-way teleporters for flanking.
-
Ascent:
- Location: San Marco, Venice, Italy
- Notable Feature: Core gameplay development and refinement took place here, with two sites (A and B) and an open mid area.
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Split:
- Location: Shinjuku district, Tokyo, Japan
- Distinct Feature: Elevated center with two rope ascenders, requiring players to watch above for control.
-
Haven:
- Location: Monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan
- Special Trait: Three sites, providing more territory for aggressive pushes.
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Icebox:
- Location: Bennett Island, Sakha, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia
- Innovation: Introduced horizontal ziplines, complex combat spaces, and different levels of elevation.
-
Breeze:
- Location: Bermuda Triangle, Atlantic Ocean
- Unique Features: Wide open spaces, long-range engagements, and distinctive elements like rope ascenders and a mechanical door.
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Fracture:
- Location: Santa Fe County, New Mexico
- Design Element: Top-secret research facility split apart by a failed radianite experiment, featuring a unique map design with four neutral quadrants.
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Pearl:
- Location: Lisbon, Portugal
- Characteristic: A straightforward map with two sites and a three-lane setup, devoid of dynamic elements or mechanical hooks.
-
Lotus:
- Location: Western Ghats of India on Omega Earth
- Visuals: Ancient temple aesthetics with lush greenery, step-wells, and structures inspired by Indo architecture, featuring three sites.
-
Sunset:
- Location: Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California, United States (Alpha Earth)
- Noteworthy Feature: 500 HP irreversible bomb doors between B Market and Mid Courtyard, a traditional map with two sites and three lanes.
In conclusion, the evolution of Valorant's map pool showcases Riot Games' dedication to providing a diverse and engaging environment for players. The lore-driven real-world locations add an extra layer of immersion to the gaming experience, making Valorant a continuously evolving and captivating tactical shooter.