In any first-person competitive shooter, map design plays a pivotal role in shaping the gameplay experience of any player. Valorant is no exception, and after playing each map hundreds of times, it is natural for any player to develop a liking or dislike for a particular map. In this guide, we’ll rank all the maps in Valorant from the best to the worst, offering insights into what makes these maps stand out.
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Valorant Maps Ranked
It is worth noting that the following ranking is not universal in any shape or form. The decision regarding which map is the best in the game is subjective, as it mostly depends on personal preferences.
1) Ascent
Ascent is definitely up there as one of the best, if not the best, maps in Valorant. Ascent is a well-balanced gameplay for both sides, and the fact that the map has barely changed since it was released shows how good the map actually is. Its design allows for various playstyles, from long-range engagements to close-quarters combat, providing an overall balanced experience.
2) Bind
After its return to the active map pool in patch 6.07, Bind has emerged as a fan favourite in the Valorant community. After receiving much-needed changes, Bind, a map notorious for being defender-sided, became more balanced for both attackers and defenders. Since the map caters to various playstyles and strategies like rushing, slow-pushing, playing default, and even quick rotates (By using the teleporters), Bind is not only a fan map to play in but also to watch in professional matches.
3) Haven
With its three-site design, Haven is definitely a unique map in Valorant. Haven is one of the few maps in Valorant that doesn’t favour one side over the other and provides multiple ways to get on to any site, leaving room for varying strategies. Once you play a few games on Haven, you’ll notice it has a bit of everything from tight chokepoints, long sightlines, and short-range skirmish potential, making it a well-designed map.
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4) Pearl
When Pearl was released in Episode 5, Act 1, it had a flaw in its design, particularly the B site. Basically, the B site was an attacker’s haven due to its layout, which allowed the attackers to easily scale up the site, take control, and make it impossible to retake for the defenders. However, this soon changed in patch 6.11, as this patch updated the layout of B site, enabling defenders to be able to defend the site and not feel helpless when the enemies rush the site. After this change, the map became very much balanced and due to its unique design, it has been a fan favourite in the community.
5) Lotus
One of the newest maps in Valorant, Lotus, didn’t seem like a fun map to play when it was first released. However, that soon changed over time as players realised that it was actually a fun map to play on. Despite being a small map compared to maps like Breeze and Fracture, Lotus requires a high level of tinkering and strategy due to how easily you can quickly rotate to other sites through the different passages. Apart from this map’s gimmicky rotating doors, Lotus is certainly a fun and balanced map to play on.
6) Sunset
The latest map introduced in Valorant, Sunset, is a relatively simple map without any gimmicks like a teleporter or rotating doors. With a visual aesthetic that reminds you of Ascent, Sunset is both fun to play and spectate. One of the exciting features of Sunset is how it is designed around the mid area with interconnecting lanes that feed it from all sides.
7) Breeze
Breeze was definitely the most hated map when it was released due to its huge open spaces, long-range battles and spacious sites, which were much different from what players were used to in Valorant. However, this sentiment changed recently when the map was reworked and returned to the active map pool in patch 7.04. This rework addressed many of the complaints casual and professional players had about the map and made the map more fun to play and spectate.
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8) Fracture
When Fracture was released, its H-shaped layout was a shock for many players who felt that the map deviated too much from Riot’s traditional design. This unique design allowed attackers to engage on a site from two angles, making it a nightmare to play as a defender. While I personally liked Fracture, it was notorious for being attacker-sided both in pubs and professional play, and in spite of the changes made to the map to rectify these issues, it didn’t seem balanced. Due to this, the map was ultimately taken out of the active map pool in patch 7.04.
9) Split
One of the oldest and most recognisable maps in Valorant, Split has undergone some changes over its lifetime. After its recent rework and return in patch 5.0, the map saw some significant changes that aimed to balance the map and make it less defender-sided. While the changes did help to fix some of the problems, they certainly didn’t solve all the problems, making this one of the least preferred maps in Valorant.
10) Icebox
Icebox had mixed reviews when it was first released in Valorant. The map is known for having a lot of vertically, which allows players to take positions on various unique vantage points. However, the map faced a lot of criticism for how difficult it was to attack the B site due to its narrow entryway. This problem resulted in A site being the only viable site to attack, resulting in a boring and repetitive style of gameplay, which was actively disliked by the player base. Due to these problems, the map was taken out of the active map pool.
Conclusion
In the dynamic world of Valorant, Riot has introduced us to some of the most fascinating to play on. While we’ve attempted to rank these maps from best to worst based on our opinion, general perceptions and how they are designed, your preferred opinion might differ from ours. In the end, the best map in Valorant is the one you have the most fun on and allows you to shine individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Maps Are There in Valorant?
After the release of Sunset, there are a total of 10 maps in Valorant. That said, all the 10 maps are not available in the active map pool for Competitive and Unrated. This is because the Design lead on the Valorant maps team, Joe Lansford, explained back in June 2022 that they only want to have seven maps in the active pool rotation.
Which Maps Are in the Active Map Pool in Valorant?
As of patch 7.05, Ascent, Sunsent, Bind, Split, Haven, Breeze and Lotus are available in the active map pool. With the introduction of the new map Sunset in patch 7.04, Fracture and Breeze were rotated out to make sure there are seven maps in the active map pool.
Why Does Valorant Have Seven Active Maps in the Game?
Design lead on the Valorant maps team, Joe Lansford, mentioned back in June 2022 that they had decided to keep seven maps in the active pool after working with the esports team, surveying players, and talking with professional organisations. It was also done to make sure that having too many maps doesn’t feel overwhelming for the player.