Why Valorant devs aren’t rushing to add “infinite” FFA deathmatch mode
Riot GamesValorant will be getting an endless deathmatch mode at some point in the near future, though Principal Producer Jared Berbach has explained why the developers are “taking [their] time rather than rushing it out.
Valorant’s deathmatch playlist is currently “trying to serve two different audiences,” Berbach explained in a March 7 Twitter thread. On one side of the equation, you have players seeking a bite-sized mode with a clear winner at the end.
For the other section of the community, you have players jumping into deathmatch as a means of warming up. This second group “generally wants to get in and stay in for a long time,” according to his breakdown. While there’s no option to do just that in today’s version of Valorant, we know the devs have big plans in mind when it comes to the evolution of deathmatch.
An “infinite” version of the mode will make its way to Riot’s tactical FPS one day. However, the devs aren’t rushing to get it out immediately. Here’s why they’re taking a different approach for this particular addition.
Currently, we're seeing relatively healthy queue times, match quality/disparity, and participation in FFA DM. The population that plays the mode is a relatively low one compared to other modes, but they are very dedicated. Satisfaction is decent, but we think it could be higher!
— Jared Berbach (@darkhorse4life) March 8, 2021
In order to create this version of the deathmatch mode in Valorant, Riot needs some new “tech” under the hood. Valorant in its current form doesn’t allow players to “join in progress.”
“[The] game services don’t check to see if new players want to join,” Berbach explained. Therefore, the complex coding that goes into Valorant’s matchmaking systems needs to be ‘rewritten’ to “accommodate joining players to matches in progress.”
They’re “actively working” on this exact upgrade to Valorant. Given how “complex” this work is, however, no specific time frame was provided.
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“We’re putting in the time to make sure it’s [a] great plan for the future of Valorant and a great play experience. I know it can be frustrating to wait as a player, but we hope this is worth it.”
This work is actually relatively complex, so we're putting in the time to make sure it's great plan for the future of VALORANT and a great play experience. I know it can be frustrating to wait as a player, but we hope this is worth it.
— Jared Berbach (@darkhorse4life) March 8, 2021
Once this new technology is ready to deploy, Riot has ambitions of establishing “very long or infinite matches.” This aims to accommodate players in need of a warm-up, allowing anyone to “join and leave when they want.”
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As it stands, there’s no telling when this mode may arrive. Valorant players can rest assured, though; plenty of work is going into making it a seamless experience.
There’s no doubt it’ll be the go-to method of warming up when it launches too.