Has VALORANT Indirectly Announced A Major Nerf To Viper?

Recent reports suggested a quiet adjustment had been made to Viper, a popular agent in VALORANT, in Patch 8.05. This raised concerns about the lack of communication regarding agent updates in the game. However, VALORANT has now addressed the nerf to Viper in a public statement, hinting at another impending nerf for the agent.

This article delves deeper into VALORANT’s statement, the implications of the nerf, and when players can expect the next adjustment to Viper.

Viper Received Nerf Over 150 Days Ago

Viper has been a significant agent since her launch, often being a top pick in VALORANT tournaments globally. In a recent statement on their social media platforms, Riot acknowledged the ‘Silent Viper Nerf,’ stating:

“During our latest balance adjustments, we noticed that Viper’s smoke duration in-game has been reduced. This was unintentionally introduced in 7.09, leading to shortened smoke duration and cooldown after deactivating Viper’s smoke.”

Update 7.09 was released on October 31st, 2023. This means that the ‘Silent Viper Nerf’ has been affecting gameplay for over 154 days. Interestingly, Update 7.09 also introduced Iso into the game, highlighting how this nerf went undetected for such a long period.

Potential Major Viper Nerf on the Horizon

The latter part of VALORANT’s statement is intriguing, as it suggests future updates for Viper in Patch 8.08:

“While not intentional, these changes offer a glimpse into the upcoming adjustments we have planned for Patch 8.08.”

This hints at the possibility of a significant nerf for Viper in the near future. Viper had a dominant pick rate of 78% during the recent VALORANT Masters Madrid tournament. With Update 8.08 expected to go live globally in May, players should anticipate a noteworthy adjustment to Viper in the upcoming patch.