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The rumor wheel has begun spinning yet again as bits and pieces of information regarding Valorant's upcoming agent arrives. The latest has been a gaffe from Amazon that gave the players their first look at the speedster agent - named Neon. Valorant then acknowledged it and released an uncropped look at the agent.
Chamber, Valorant's newest Sentinel addition, came out in November to a huge wave of approvals. The Frenchman is so beloved by the community that he has one of the highest picks and win rates among all agents.
The addition of any new agent is cause for much speculation and joy amongst the Valorant faithful. New characters spruce up different combinations of agents for team line-ups and provide exciting gameplay opportunities. The new agent also adds to the growing intricate Valorant lore.
How does the upcoming speedster fare in the bigger picture of Valorant?
Cryptic Teaser at Valorant Champions
Riot has been slowly revealing information about the upcoming agent, codenamed "Sprinter." The first official hint at the new agent, Neon, was provided at the Valorant Champions 2021. It was in the form of a promo video before the grand finals.
The video contains a lot of static interspersed by lines like "Enemies in our way? I hope they like getting hit by lightning" and "Get ready, I go fast." Although her Filipino roots were already revealed in Chamber's line to Viper, Neon - then-unnamed - also says "lintik KAY/O" in the video, basically confirming her country.
Voice lines and the Night Market
Prior to the video, allusions to Neon's powers and abilities were made in the December 8, 2021 update to Chamber's voice lines. Chamber got several new lines that he says to his fellow agents. He notifies Brimstone that he has found the next recruit.
He tells Killjoy that he has found a solution for Killjoy's latest project, which lacked a power source. The project being referred to is Killjoy developing the Everett-Linde portal for which she requires a viable power source. This can be found in the voicemail she sent to Brimstone which was added to the office at the range in patch 3.09.
Chamber tells both Reyna and Sage of an impressionable hot-headed sprinter who would need guidance. The Philippines was first referred to in the Night Market poster where, as Cynprel noted, there were Filipino Christmas lanterns, parol.
The country of Neon was revealed further in Chamber's line to Viper, and the place could also turn out to be a potential future map in Valorant -
"Viper, your suit is a little stifling, no? When you go meet the new agent, maybe pack something light, Manila is quite warm this time of year"
State of the Agents and reveal
In Valorant's State of the Agents blog post on December 23, character producer John Goscicki described the agent as "an Agent who can outpace the rest of the roster, shocking the competition, and sliding straight into the fight." The post also showcases Neon's pair of blue running shoes.
The lightning showcased in the picture reflects the repeated reference to lightning in earlier voice lines and her being fast. Neon's abilities and kit are yet to be revealed, but it is clear that lightning will be majorly involved in it.
Valorant community finally got their first glimpse at the agent when Prime Gaming inadvertently leaked key art from Episode 4 Act 1. Neon darts around a number of agents with the unreal speed in the picture. Although they soon rectified the mistake, Valorant acknowledged the fact and posted the whole picture on Twitter.
Valorant players will be eagerly awaiting further news regarding this exciting agent with less than two weeks to go. Not only do her traits make for an interesting character, but it will also be intriguing to see how she furthers the story forward.
Fracture introduced the broken Everett-Linde portal that Killjoy is stuck with. It remains to be seen where the developers will take the story next. Further information about Neon is likely to arrive next week.
