'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Valorant fans are eagerly waiting for the developers to finally reveal the long-awaited Agent 21 who will be joining the game's roster. There have already been a number of leaks and speculations regarding the new addition, codenamed Mage, and the latest State of the Agents from Riot has provided a little bit more for fans to chew on.
Riot's State of the Agents blog posts provide a glimpse at the amount of work that these characters go through and the thought process of the developers behind such changes and additions. September's post talked about the different lenses that the developers use to:
"...drive balance changes, with special focus on player perceptions of our Agents, and how we factor perception with the information we get from quantitative sources like win and pick rates."
Along with that, players also got a tease for the next Agent. Notably, the blog post ended with the line:
"Jald hi milte hain."
This message roughly translates to "see you soon."
Valorant's Agent 21 is "almost ready to go out" and will be a controller
John Goscicki, the Senior Character Producer on the FPS for Riot, shared some tidbits regarding Agent 21. He first mentioned that the game has evolved through "shifting metas, new maps, and an increase in general game knowledge." Developers are always trying to identify new opportunities for Agents nearly a year ahead of time.
They have noted that there is a scarcity of Controllers on the roster and that other than Viper, there is a "blue ocean of opportunity" to introduce Controllers who "can cover large open areas." Other than the cheeky water-based words and phrases, which refer to Mage's leaked link with water, Agent 21 is surely going to fill this gap that John mentions.
Goscicki concluded by stating that Agent 21 is "almost ready to go out" and that he did not want to flood everyone with any more information. Players will likely get more updates in the next few weeks. Valorant Champions 2022's final could also be the perfect stage for that.
The upcoming Agent
It has already been leaked that the upcoming Agent will be of Indian origin and likely the character of Varun Batra. The image at the end further cemented that notion.
Named "samosachaat," the colorful image provides a glimpse at Agent 21's diary with writings and illustrations, a cup of tea, samosas (baked pastry filled with a filling common to India), the iconic Gateway of India and ferries. The right page likely showcases the famous Taj Mahal Palace in the city and a map of India with a line drawn from Mumbai to the other side of the country.
Indian players will also notice the Nataraj pencil, a popular brand among the masses. With that being said, the left page is harder to decipher. The upper symbol could be the artifact that Batra has allegedly stolen.
According to information released earlier in Valorant, Varun Batra is the keeper of Valorant Legion's new power source. Furthermore, he was a REALM operative who is under investigation for the theft of a priceless artifact. An alleged list of the Agent's abilities was also leaked last month.
Players will be excited to see how the new Agent impacts not only the game meta but also the ever evolving lore of Valorant.
