Riot Games is planning to implement an improved detection system and harsher punishments for players who abandon or go AFK in VALORANT matches. These punishments will extend to match throwers, intentional feeders, and other disruptive players, according to the latest Ask VALORANT blog post. The post also addresses combatting smurfs and a potential feature to block other players.

The first question asks how the VALORANT team plans to combat match abandoners and throwers. Game producer Sara Dadafshar answers, explaining that the requirements to unlock ranked mode will change in an upcoming patch. Instead of only playing a certain number of games, players will be required to win matches before they can access competitive matchmaking. This change aims to prevent players from “spam farming matches” and actually play the game in order to reach ranked.

Dadafshar explains that an improved detection system for disruptive behavior is in the works as well, which will lead to harsher punishments for repeat offenders. “We’re looking into things like rank penalties, experience mitigations, longer queue time restrictions, and even bans if it comes down to it,” Dadafshar says. “We want to distinguish between disruptive behaviors that stem from comms and gameplay, and then penalize accordingly.” Dadafshar says these changes will be coming incrementally.

The next question asks if players who “lose 20 games in a row” will be flagged in an effort to combat match throwers or intentional feeders. Senior producer Ian Fielding responds, encouraging players to report those who are clearly throwing their games. Your reports “can lead to penalties for the player such as chat and voice restrictions and potentially even bans for repeat behavior,” Fielding says.

The final question wonders if there will ever be a way to block players from ever queueing with you again. Sara Dadafshar answers again, saying there’d be “nuances we’d have to work through to ensure queue times don’t significantly increase” before that could be implemented. She explains that the improved detection system will help them deal out proper punishments and “hopefully lessen the number of players you wouldn’t want to play with to begin with.”

VALORANT patch 1.13 is expected to drop on December 8th.

Source: Riot Games