Riot dev confirms Valorant’s most broken agent is finally getting a nerf
Riot GamesValorant is finally set to nerf Neon, the fast-paced Duelist known for her overpowered abilities, in the upcoming 9.11 patch update.
Neon has been seen as broken in Valorant for quite some time now. Her sprint and slide mechanics make her able to dodge attacks easily and deliver fast blows. Meanwhile, her Overdrive ultimate unleashes rapid, powerful energy blasts, making her frustratingly difficult to counter and play against.
On November 11, Valorant developer Penguin posted to Twitter/X to announce that significant changes are coming for the agent in response to feedback on the 9.09 patch.
“We agree that Neon is too strong as well. We’re working on some adjustments to balance out the parts that feel overpowered while maintaining her grounded movement combat fantasy.”
They added that “these changes are coming in patch 9.11,” which is expected to be released into the game on December 10.
The nerf should aim to primarily target High Gear and Overdrive, and overall reduce her overwhelming dominance in competitive play while still supporting her fast movement style. But, the exact tweaks and how much the agent will be nerfed are yet to be confirmed by Riot.
These changes have long been called for by many in the Valorant community and were therefore naturally well-received by most players.
“FINALLY,” one said who echoed the comments of several. “Thank you Penguin we all say in unison,” another replied.
“Finally you realized how, not equal is Neon to other characters, but we need a big nerf not just one change,” a user stated.
Riot GamesHowever, not all were as convinced with the incoming adjustments. “Please be careful not to make Neon unplayable, anything reverts the buffs on her, she was more balanced, she just wasn’t popular,” a player commented.
Another added: “Remove the 1st bullet accuracy while sliding, literally NOBODY asked for that. Besides that Neon is fine honestly.”
A few others called out the developers for only listening to pro players. “Valorant always catering when pros cry but not buffing Deadlock or Harbor who actually need attention,” one said.
To which Penguin responded: “We’ll have comms coming out for both of these soon.”
Despite the Neon changes being confirmed, players will have to wait a whole month if Valorant’s 9.11 patch is to be released on December 10. In the meantime, you can check out the full details of the 9.09 patch, which was implemented on November 5.