The Game-Changer Valorant Needs: Unleashing a Replay System!

Highlights

Valorant, Riot Game's popular tactical shooter, has gained a massive playerbase of over 20.4 million active players since its launch.

Valorant's success notwithstanding, it falls short in important aspects such as the absence of an in-game Replay System. Unlike other renowned titles like Street Fighter and Overwatch, Valorant fails to offer this feature through its various functions and features.

The incorporation of a Replay System would be highly advantageous for Valorant's playerbase as it would enable them to thoroughly analyze their gameplay, save noteworthy clips, and furnish footage for coaching or VOD (Video on Demand) reviews.

Since its launch, Riot Games' tactical shooter Valorant has garnered significant attention. With over 20.4 million active players, according to Tracker Network, the game's success is remarkable considering it marks Riot's departure from the world of Runeterra and their flagship game, League of Legends.

Although Valorant has been well-received by the gaming community, it is not without flaws. Complaints have arisen regarding the current meta, the ping system, and solo queuing. Additionally, there are promised elements from Riot that have yet to be delivered. For instance, back in 2020, an Ask Valorant blog post stated that a Replay System would be added "soon". However, despite three years having passed, Riot has still not implemented this tool.

Valorant Needs This Quality-of-Life Feature

Valorant introduced a useful ping system in its first year for indicating positions, even allowing players to use it when they are dead by accessing the mini-map. However, it is strange that the FPS game lacks another standard feature—an in-game Replay System. It is worth mentioning that replays were not available for League of Legends until 2015, seven years after the game's release.

Although there are ways for players to record their gameplay, it requires the use of external programs such as NVIDIA's overlay, Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), or a generic screen recorder. Unfortunately, Valorant still does not have a native Replay System like Street Fighter 6's built-in recording feature, Overwatch 2's Match Replays, or Rocket League's Saved Replays. Without an in-game system, players can only record their own perspectives.

Since Valorant has emerged as a direct competitor to games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch 2, this quality-of-life feature should be considered essential. It not only allows players to review their own gameplay to identify mechanical or situational errors, but also provides the opportunity to save and share clips of impressive moments. For those who seek coaching or VOD reviews, having the entire game footage to share with others holds great significance.

Taking inspiration from Fortnite's in-game replay tool, Valorant could introduce the concept of observing matches from different perspectives. This becomes especially valuable in situations where unexpected occurrences arise and their cause is unclear. By viewing the event from a teammate's or even an opponent's viewpoint, crucial information can be gleaned. Furthermore, this feature may help in identifying and reporting bugs, such as the wall-walking glitch inadvertently introduced in Patch 1.06 of Valorant.

The Replay System, which was initially expected to be released in 2020, is currently undergoing active development. According to a tweet by Valorant Leaks & News on June 28, it is anticipated that the replay feature will be introduced to the main Valorant client "early next year or later on." If this information is accurate, the Replay System will resemble Overwolf, a software that enhances the gaming experience by providing overlays, statistics, voice communications, and more.

Notably, this aligns with previous tweets made by Anna Donlon, the SVP and Executive Producer of Valorant. In January, she mentioned that the team was working on replays, along with other aspects. However, no specific release date or further details have been disclosed.

The sooner the Replay System is implemented into the game, the more beneficial it will be for the playerbase of Valorant. While there are other issues that need to be addressed, incorporating this feature would greatly enhance the overall experience of the shooter game. Ideally, replays should be introduced by 2023, but if not, it would still be appreciated to have access to them by 2024.

Please note that Valorant is only accessible on PC.