VALORANT update 8.11 patch notes, including new map ABYSS & Agent updates

You won't want to miss the latest set of VALORANT patch notes, as update 8.11 brings a new map, lots of Agent changes, and the first set of console updates too.

You'll often find that the patches - due to their fortnightly schedule - aren't the most eventful, but that couldn't be further from the truth here with a bunch of adjustments that'll change the way you play in-game.

Agent changes

Iso

• Double Tap (E)
  • Iso now grants himself a shield upon finishing a one-second animation, during which he can't use his gun
    • This plays a shield-forming sound when activated
    • Charges reduced from 2 to 1
    • Iso now gets a charge back if he gets two kills
    • Iso is now slowed less upon his shield breaking and receives a damage indicator towards the direction of the enemy that broke his shield
  • Iso can now recast Double Tap while it's active to refresh the duration of the shield

Neon

• Fast Lane (C)
  • Fast Lane dissipates from behind to minimise visual noise in combat space while giving cover for Neon
    • The audio has been updated to travel with the fade out of the wall
  • Wall duration reduced from 6 seconds to 4 seconds
  • Wall dissolve duration increased from 1 second to 2 seconds
• High Gear (E)
  • Sprint
    • Neon no long has her strafe speed reduced while sprinting
      • Max sprint speed while moving sideways increased from 6.73m/second to 9.11m/second
      • Time until Full Fuel Regen reduced from 60 seconds to 20 seconds
    • Slide
      • Slide charges increased from 1 to 2
      • Neon now removes all weapon movement error when sliding
      • Second slide cost is now 150
      • Instant equips out of slide
• Relay Bolt (Q)
  • Charges decreased from 2 to 1
  • Windup delay decreased from 1.1 seconds to 0.8 seconds
  • Concuss duration increased from 3 seconds to 3.5 seconds

Reyna

• Devour (Q)
  • Healing decreased from 100 to 50
  • Full heal time reduced from 3 seconds to 2 seconds
  • Overheal of armour no longer decays after a timer
• Dismiss (E)
  • Top speed increased from 9.1m/second to 12m/second
  • Total duration of Dismiss reduced from 2 seconds to 1.5 seconds
• Empress (X)
  • Express no longer has a timer and is permanent until Reyna is killed or the round ends

Raze

• Blast Pack (Q)
  • Raze's satchels no longer explode for damage/knockback upon opponent destruction
  • Raze's horizontal velocity when satcheling has been slowed
  • Satchel explosion audio is now audible from further away

Clove

• Pick-Me-Up (C)
  • Cost increased from 100 to 200
  • Duration reduced from 10 seconds to 8 seconds
  • Damaging Assist Time to activate decreased from 10 seconds to 6 seconds
• Not Dead Yet (X)
  • Cost increased from 7 to 8
  • Unequip delay increased from 0.7 to 0.8

Click to enlarge

Esports features

• Added roles to our roster information to help differentiate between players, substitutes, and coaches
• Added blurbs highlighting the personality and accomplishments for teams in VCT Americas and VCT Pacific

Gameplay systems

All platforms

• New Strategy Wheels during the Buy Phase
• Unique Strategy Wheels for Attackers and Defenders
• New Commands Wheel on the Megamap
• Updated options on existing Command Wheels
• Updated VO on existing Commands Menu
• Streamlined Wheels to feature the most important command options

Console

• Added New Player Tips
  • These tips 'listen' to your in-match actions and behaviours
  • They also level up with you as you learn more advanced strategies

Map updates

• New map "ABYSS" has been added to the game (PC)
• Significant competitive map pool updates have been made:
  • ASCENT, BIND, ICEBOX, LOTUS, SUNSET, HAVEN
  • ABYSS will be added in patch 9.0
• Unrated, Swift Play, Spike Rush, and Escalation will move to an open map pool where all maps will be available to play
• Console map pool limited to ABYSS, ASCENT, BIND, HAVEN
• Open Range has been updated for the console beta

Modes updates

PC

• ABYSS queue will be available for one week

Console

• Console players will have access to a limited number of modes for the beta:
  • Unrated
  • Swift Play
  • Deathmatch
  • Team Deathmatch
  • Custom Games
• Competitive will go live on console in patch 9.0

Performance updates

• Updated threading behaviour on dual-core machines, resulting in better in-game performance and shorter loading times

Social systems updates

PC

• Updated friends list to display VALORANT console players, appearing now under "other games" in your friends list

Console

• Changed the default behaviour of voice chat to prioritise team voice

Store updates

• Increased clarity and quality of the buy phase experience:
  • Ally utility is now visible on team member slots
  • Remaining armour is now visualised as a fill in the UI
  • Holistically added animations to increase clarity around affordability, requesting, and weapon purchases
  • Item states have gone through a visual pass to improve readability

Bug fixes

Agent

• Fixed an exploit where players could stand on Killjoy's Turret (E) when it was wedged in a corner. Players in this situation will now have inaccurate gunfire similar to if they were jumping
• Fixed issues where Clove could play the incorrect animation or slide along the ground during a skin finisher if they were the last player alive and had their Ultimate available
• Fixed an issue where players inside Clove's smoke-forming location were at a disadvantage compared to players on the outside of the smoke
• Fixed an issue where Clove's Pick-Me-Up (C) could not proc on training range bots
• Fixed an issue where Clove's Not Dead Yet (X) allowed smoke assists to allow them to survive

Gameplay systems

• Fixed an issue with Brimstone Incendiary (Q) VFX not appearing unless the player is observing the direction it's coming from
• Fixed some issues with Combat Report Player Info not populating properly with information on death
• Fixed bullet tracers still being visible after being turned off in settings when player fires at certain angles away from the map
• Fixed issues where Agent abilities that attach to walls can be shot through impenetrable surfaces
• Fixed tooltips not updating after rebinding while an Agent ability is equipped
• Fixed Arabic language format errors when using Gekko Wingman (Q) or picking up a Weapon
• Fixed longer crosshair profile names extending the Delete/Duplicate Profile popup in settings

Premier

• Fixed a bug where the green arrow indicator for the Choose Side selection in map pick and bans didn't show up

Now that you're all up to date with the latest updates, head over to our VALORANT homepage for more tips and tricks. We've got a full patch notes schedule so you can tell when the next one is on its way, alongside the best crosshair codes and a full weapon tier list.