Valorant, Riot Games’ wildly popular tactical shooter, has recently made its way to consoles, inviting a whole new wave of players to join the fight. But as these eager newcomers get in-game, they’re quickly discovering that unlocking the full roster of Valorant agents is no small feat.
A recent post on the Valorant subreddit has reignited the discussion around the game’s agent unlock system, with many players sharing their experiences and frustrations.
The Math Behind the Madness in Valorant
The original poster, a new player jumping into Valorant on Xbox thanks to the ongoing console beta, asked the burning question on every other newbie’s mind:
Is every character unlock-able without spending money?
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The answer, as it turns out, is a resounding “yes“, but it’s not going to be easy! One player broke down the math:
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Let that sink in for a moment. Even with the most optimistic calculations, unlocking all of the agents in the game without spending money would take around 200 hours of gameplay. That’s the equivalent of a full-time job for over a month, all spent grinding away in Valorant matches.
And if you’re not quite as efficient as this commenter? Well, buckle up:
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It’s no wonder, then, that some players are tempted to shell out real money to bypass this grind and unlock the agents they want to play. After all, in a competitive game like Valorant, having access to a wider pool of agents can give you a significant advantage over players who are stuck with the starting roster.
The Pay-2-Win Temptation
Of course, Valorant‘s practice range allows players to try out any agent without needing to unlock them; however, this is a far cry from experiencing their abilities in a real match against human opponents. To truly get a feel for an agent and decide if they’re worth investing time (or money) into, players need to see them in action on the battlefield.
But, with unlock times stretching into the hundreds of hours, many players simply don’t have the luxury of experimenting with every agent before making a decision. Players willing and able to spend real money on the game have a significant advantage over those who aren’t, as they can unlock and master a wider variety of agents much more quickly.
This can, admittedly, lead to a frustrating experience for free-to-play players, who may feel like they’re constantly at a disadvantage simply because they don’t want to open their wallets.
It’s a tricky balancing act for Riot Games, as it undoubtedly wants to encourage players to spend money on the game (for more than just epic weapon skins) without making it feel like a necessity.
However, as the calculations above show, the current system may be tipping the scales a bit too far in favor of paying players.
What do you think about Valorant‘s agent unlock system? Have you felt tempted to spend real money to bypass the grind, or do you enjoy the sense of progression that comes with unlocking agents through gameplay? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
