A snowball fight-themed game mode may be coming to VALORANT sometime soon, as revealed by data miner ValorLeaks. Details regarding gameplay or rules of the new mode have not been revealed, as only the recurring term “snowball” was found among the code in the recent Act III update. This may be teasing a winter event to go along with the game’s new snow-covered map, Icebox.
VALORANT data miner ValorLeaks found a few lines of code suggesting a snowball game mode, taking to Twitter to break the news. Along with the keyword “snowball” came bouncy, growball, rapidfire, and skates, potentially cluing us in to different aspects of the game mode. The snowball mode could be similar to Spike Rush, another VALORANT mode where power-up orbs placed around the map give you different special abilities.
There’s no telling exactly how the game mode will play out, if weapons will be involved or if it’s a pure snowball fight against other agents. Other similar games have added snowball fight features, including CS:GO, VALORANT’s biggest competitor. A big snowball fight may work on the game’s existing maps, or we may see Riot add a new battlefield just for this mode.
A snowball-themed game mode would go hand-in-hand with VALORANT’s newest map, Icebox. The map is set in the frozen tundra, surrounded by ice and snow. The new map dropped at the beginning of Act III, which went live earlier this week. Currently only available to play in casual mode, Icebox will join the competitive map rotation later in the season.
VALORANT’s developers have previously teased new “social” game modes, as they want to break up the competitive atmosphere with “social downtime.” Along with Spike Rush, the game has also added a classic Deathmatch mode, which fans had been asking for since the beta.
While it may make for a fun side game, the snowball mode could also be part of an upcoming winter event. As seen in other games, a winter game event may bring new skins and additional items to the game. VALORANT has not yet had a themed season, while titles like CS:GO and Overwatch often have holiday or season-themed updates.
A VALORANT winter event has not yet been announced, and there is no confirmed launch date for a snowball game mode.
Source: ValorLeaks