Valorant players are in for a huge change with Patch 6.0 as the Episode 6 map pool will welcome back the long-gone Split with open arms. With that being said, its return will cost two of the most popular maps to be removed from the competitive pool.
The next map rotation is set to begin in early January 2023 with Patch 6.0. Furthermore, Split will return with a few changes that will make playstyle a lot different than how it used to be. It will, in turn, replace Bind and Breeze from the map pool.
Riot Games released a post on their official website explaining the reasons behind Bind and Breeze's removal. Read along for more details.
What are the maps that Split is replacing in Valorant Episode 6?
Riot Games officially confirmed Split's return to the Valorant map pool with Episode 6. Split has been one of the three original maps of the game, along with Bind and Haven.
With Patch 6.0, players will have to bid farewell to another original map from the pool, Bind. Breeze will also be removed from the pool for specific reasons. Riot Games mentioned that the latter has some room for improvement when it comes to Agents and team-composition diversity. They also mentioned that the map can be more opportunistic for simplification of the space.
Riot Games also stated the reason behind Bind getting removed from the pool. They mentioned that it is about strategic diversity. The developers would like to open up and tweak the teleporters in order to potentially re-imagine how teams execute strategies on the map and defend on both the sites.
Lastly, Riot Games mentioned that just like Split, the removed maps will not be gone forever. Meaning, players can expect Bind and Breeze to return once again after a few necessary changes have been made to them. However, the date of their comeback is still unknown.
Split is a fan-favorite map and is adored by many Valorant players. It was removed temporarily for a variety of reasons, one of the core ones being Riot Games’ decision to maintain a 7-map pool at all times for the Unrated and Competitive game modes.
Pearl was introduced in Episode 5 along with brand new Agent, Harbor. The map has taken mixed reviews from the community so far. With that being said, Breeze is definitely one of the most controversial maps in Valorant.
While many players dislike the maps structure, a lot of them adore it. However, the developers feel the need to make a few changes before it can be competitive worthy. With that being said, both Breeze and Bind will be available in Spike Rush and the other game modes while they are out of the competitive pool.
2023 can be expected to be a great year for the Valorant community as both the professional scene and the game itself will be making huge leaps. Split will also see some plays in the Valorant esports scene once again and fans will be excited to have the map back.