Valorant dev responds to claims the Wasteland Vandal skin is “pay to lose”

UPDATE (12/28 – 6:00 PM EST) – Following claims that Valorant’s Wasteland skin line actually put Vandal users at a disadvantage, Riot’s Cosmetic Producer ‘Riot_Preeti’ responded to the allegations and assured that it won’t be a problem for much longer.

Original claims revealed how the Vandal was actually slightly longer with the Wasteland skin equipped. Your barrel would appear moments before it would with the default cosmetic. As a result, the community demanded a fix and Riot came through rather quickly.

“We caught this right before the winter break and have already fixed it,” Preeti confirmed on December 28.

Players won’t have to avoid the Vandal for all too long if Wasteland is their favorite skin line. “This fix will be in the next patch,” she added.

Original Story:

Valorant’s weapon skins are supposed to add some visual flair to your favorite guns, though the Wasteland cosmetics could actually be costing you rounds without you realizing.”

From skins that spread holiday cheer to shiny cosmetics that add some style to your loadout, there’s plenty to pick and choose from in Valorant. Some are cheaper than others and some will completely change the look of your weapon.

The Wasteland skin line does exactly that. Adding a unique visual to five different weapons in the game. Rather than a pristine looking gun, you’ll have a weapon that looks to have been thrown together with random parts. Magazines are held on with some loose material while various wires are all exposed on the surface.

It’s not the prettiest skin in the game but it offers a completely unique look. If it’s your go-to visual, however, you may think twice moving forward. For the Wasteland Vandal, you’re actually putting yourself at a disadvantage.

“Wasteland Vandal is pay to lose,” Reddit user ‘zhoost’ shared on December 27. While nothing appeared out of the ordinary from a front-on view, a major difference can be seen when looking from the side.

This skin makes the muzzle of the Vandal slightly longer. As a result, it can be seen peeking around corners before any other skin for the rifle. It may seem like a very slight difference at first glance, but this could have game-changing ramifications in the moment.

• Read More: How to use the Vandal

That split second of noticing your weapon before you pass a corner could be all that’s needed for you to lose the round. In a tactical shooter that demands fast reaction times, using the Wasteland skin is quite literally giving your enemies an upper hand.

Numerous other players chimed in and verified these claims. The physical model of the gun itself is evidently longer with the Wasteland skin applied.

There’s no telling if this is an intentional part of the design. Though giving one particular skin a huge downside would sure be an odd decision.

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If it’s absolutely your favorite skin, it is still viable to use. Otherwise, it could be time to look for a different visual on the Vandal moving forward.