VALORANT is receiving a new patch this week, patch 0.50. Riot Games' tactical first-person shooter has been in its closed beta stage for a few weeks now, and the developers feel that it's time for another change, almost two weeks after the competitive game mode went live. In this patch, Riot Games is making adjustments to rifles, machine guns, and maps.

Overall, rifles are being improved by seeing their recovery time—the time it takes your crosshair to go back to its original position after you've fired—reduced in one way or another. The Vandal receives the most changes. Its horizontal recoil is reduced by 15% when you're standing still, or are in a crouched position. The recovery time has gone from 0.4 seconds to 0.375 seconds, and its tap efficiency is increased from 4 to 6.

The Phantom's effective recovery time is being lowered even more and further. Instead of a 0.55 second recovery time, it'll now only take 0.35 seconds for the rifle to reset its crosshair to the original position. Its tap efficiency is increased from 3 to 4. Lastly, both the Bulldog (in its automatic fire mode) and the Guardian are put in line with the Phantom, and also see their recovery time reduced to 0.35 seconds.

Machine guns

Machine Guns are receiving a buff. As the VALORANT developers say in the patch notes: "Machine Guns are significantly underperforming other weapons at their price points. Machine Guns are meant to be bullet hoses—powerful once they get going. This is a difficult balance to strike in a game where a single bullet from the Vandal will put you down."

With the hope to increase the viability of picking a Machine Gun during the round, several buffs are being implemented. The Ares is reduced in its cost, and will only cost 1600 credits instead of 1700 from now on. Additionally, its precision is being improved slightly, and its horizontal recoil is being nerfed. Its bigger brother, the Odin, is also being buffed, but less so. Only its horizontal recoil is being toned down.

Maps

The VALORANT developers have monitored player performances closely on several maps, and are making a few tweaks accordingly. Split receives the most updates, favoring attackers on the map. The start-of-round barriers have been relocated slightly, so attackers can push a bit further when the round commences. Another change is made to the map itself directly: the wall on your left when you're approaching the B site from the middle area has been angled, removing the hiding corner for defenders.

There are a few smaller changes across all maps. On Haven, the sounds of materials you're walking over have been adjusted to now match the actual material you're standing on. There's also a new system being put in place, which should correct any champion (Omen, *achum*) trying to reach out of bounds areas and put them back on the map. Cypher's out-of-bounds Spy Cams are also being tackled, and there should be far fewer exploits with the ability on Split, Haven, and Bind going forward.

VALORANT patch 0.50 is also making impactful changes to four of the agents in the game. Read more about that here.

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