VALORANT players can look forward to new maps arriving in the game soon, as Riot developers have just confirmed that multiple layouts are in the pipeline. Not only that, but we could potentially see variants like night-time versions of the current maps. Given that the map design influences gameplay and strategies, it's no surprise that VALORANT devs are putting new maps high on the priority list, though no release date or exact features have been revealed yet.

VALORANT dev team continues rapid expansion of map lineup

Right now, VALORANT enjoys seven maps all with their own unique layouts and innovative features like teleporters. Back when the game was first launched, though, it came with just three maps — Bind, Haven, and Split. More recently, we've seen the additions of Breeze (the largest map in the game) and Fracture, and in between those, Ascent and Icebox, to spice up the mix.

Whether you play competitively or casually, though, it's hard to argue that the VALORANT map lineup lacks variety. Players have been calling for more maps ever since the game's release, especially in comparison to another tactical shooter in CS:GO. Riot did a decent job at accelerating the debut of more maps, although some might debate on their quality and popularity. Still, many players feel that the limited number of maps just makes things a tad repetitive, even with the new map selection system now launched.

In the past, Riot had tagged seven maps as a good starting point for the game. It's clear though that to keep VALORANT growing and keep the playerbase engaged and excited for updates, the devs will have to rapidly build atop that starting point and expand the map pool available. The team seems to be well aware of that goal, with Lead Environment Artist George Sokol confirming that they are “definitely still working on new maps” when asked about development priorities in a recent Reddit AMA.

Yes, maps, as in plural. But what features and designs could these upcoming maps showcase?

Possible new map mechanics, features, variants

In the current map lineup, only Haven has three possible spike planting locations, compared to two sites for all the other layouts. But in the same AMA, Level Designer Joe Lansford hinted at introducing another VALORANT map with three spike sites, wording it as “definitely on the table.”

Future updates could also see the dawn of even more map-specific innovations that make each location distinct, such as the unique ziplines in Fracture. Lansford went on to say that the team is working on “lots of map mechanics,” which they hope they can share with the community “someday”.

The maps have also taken clear inspiration from various locations globally — Breeze being a tropical island like the Carribeans; Ascent being based in Venice. As such, another question posed was whether there were plans to explore “other agents' hometowns”.  To that, the devs answered rather vaguely, saying, “We'll be making maps for a while, so [there's] lots of room to explore in the future.”

Besides new maps, players might also see some changes coming to the current seven maps. Instead of pushing out new layouts entirely, the VALORANT developer team hasn't ruled out the possibility of adding variants like mirror maps or night-time maps.

Responding to these ideas, Lansford said the flipped maps might “break everyone’s brain” but that it is on the “maybe” list moving forward. “Artists always love making stuff at night time, but it’s a tricky balancing act to make a map look like night but also have enough clear visibility for gameplay,” he added.

The yet-unreleased maps and what features they have are all “top secret” for now. Still, VALORANT players can get excited about the clear commitment from the devs to shake up the map pool with new additions to create more exciting yet strategically rooted gameplay.