Valorant players hate the ping nerf, here’s why

Riot recently nerfed the ping system in Valorant to prevent malicious players from abusing it, but the general player isn’t happy with the changes. Here’s why.

Valorant always had a ping system that allowed players to communicate valuable information without using their microphones. Even those in full lobbies would often use it to deliver accurate callouts. However, in patch 9.11, Riot decided to nerf it significantly to prevent feature abuse, which was quite common in lower ranks.

Typically, such an update draws a positive reaction from the fanbase, but not this time. A week into the nerf, fans are convinced that Riot has made Valorant unplayable.

Why is do Valorant fans hate the ping nerf?

According to fans, the ping nerf in Valorant makes the game less accessible for newer players, while those in higher ranks may notice little to no difference. By implementing this change, Riot has effectively raised the skill floor without impacting the skill ceiling.

Previously, players could mark locations in the game’s environment, which often led to accurate smoke spam. In patch 9.11, Riot removed in-world pings, restricting them to the radar. This change aimed to raise the skill ceiling by forcing players to determine enemy locations on their own. Additionally, pings can no longer be made through smoke. Instead, Riot has labeled the entire old system as a cheat, which is available in custom games.

Now, players have several issues with the nerf. Firstly, the game plays out the same at a higher level. At higher ranks, spamming smokes in predictable areas is already a common practice. According to fans, a ping adds almost no value to the accuracy of such spam, with many providing videos to support their claims.

While higher-level players remain largely unaffected by the nerf, newer players are bearing the brunt of the changes. Many have voiced concerns that in-world pings were particularly useful for those unfamiliar with Valorant’s callouts, making the game more accessible. Additionally, the system helped pinpoint the exact location of dropped weapons, a crucial feature given the limited post-round time for teammates to locate and pick up loot.

Some players are concerned about the impact it may have on overall communication, especially with language barriers. It’s fairly common for players to end up matching with teammates who don’t speak the same language. Pings help with accurate callouts, making ranked mode less taxing.

However, the nerf takes it all away. That means players above diamond may still be able to perform at the same level without the pings, but new players will have to work a bit harder to break out of low ranks.