Elo hell in Valorant and how Riot might be the cause

Getting stuck in lower Elos may be a harsh reality in Valorant.

Once again, Reddit has started a Valorant discussion like no other. This time, the focus is on “Elo hell.” This is the theory that Riot Games is keeping players in lower Elo positions.

It may be a bit farfetched to believe that Riot is purposely tanking Valorant players when they lose. However, the evidence makes it seem plausible.

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Riot is responsible for Valorant players' Elo hell?

A Reddit post has again lit a fire under a certain Valorant issue (Image via Riot Games)

The Reddit post goes into some deep explanations regarding Elo hell. The user shares screenshots of a friend, showing how rankings changed between matches. A win pushed the Valorant player up, but a singular loss with similar individual statistics set the player back to their starting Elo.

All I want for Christmas is to get out of elo hell on Valorant

— Reece | @UYU (@MixrCreative) December 25, 2020

Elo hell is said to be the Elo system Riot has placed within Valorant. This trend is seeing players stuck in lower Elo levels, as the publisher is punishing them more for losses than rewarding them for victories.

In order to beat this trend, players need to consistently carry Valorant matches and improve drastically. It seems that winning and losing close games will cause no sort of upward movement.

The Reddit user believes Riot is doing this to keep people playing Valorant, forcing them to complete more matches. On the contrary, the feeling is that this frustrates players and simply causes them to give up.

If you don’t know anyone else that plays #Valorant, you’re bound to get stuck in elo hell. It’s like you can only advance if you’re an absolute freak of nature, or you have a constant team to run with. New to PC = No one to run with = ELO Hell. I know I’m not alone with this.

— Flank King (@im_FlankKing) January 4, 2021

This isn’t the first time that gamers have brought attention to a potentially broken rank system. The competitive matchmaking system in Valorant has had its fair share of ups and downs.

2021 is the time that Valorant can fix anything and everything. It can become the game everyone wants it to be. The focus on fun, casual play, competitive action, and esports can all be there. Nothing needs to be sacrificed.