VALORANT Patch 9.11 to bring Ping System overhaul and Neon nerfs

The upcoming VALORANT Patch 9.11 is poised to make waves across the competitive scene and casual play alike, introducing a transformative update to one of the game's core systems.

First up is an important set of changes to the ping system, which promise to redefine how players communicate and set-up for plays across the map. Meanwhile, Neon, one of the game’s most dynamic duelists in recent times, is set to receive significant nerfs, aiming to rebalance her high-impact presence in both professional and ranked play.

These changes are expected to significantly alter in-game dynamics, from how teams manage crucial callouts to how Neon's mobility and burst potential are leveraged in fast-paced skirmishes.

Ping System Changes

Make sure you always smoke the Spike for your team moving forward. (credit: Riot Games)

The biggest update coming to the game with patch 9.11 will be an overhaul of the way the ping system works. Here's the list of coming changes:

• Pings you place on your Map will no longer show in the world
• Smokes will block pings
• New ping sounds

The coming changes will effectively make pings far less powerful than they have been in the past in VALORANT. Starting with patch 9.11, you will no longer be able to ping through or inside smokes.

This will be particularly noticeable on the defense side. With the coming changes to the way pings work, it will be particularly important to pay attention to exact location where the spike was planted. After patch 9.11, you and your teammates will no longer be able to ping the spike if a smoke has been placed on top of it, meaning no more easy kills on helpless defusers.

Overall, the way pings will work moving forward will make effective communication between teammates more important than ever before. So, make sure you learn your callouts!

If you ever find yourself feeling nostalgic, just know that the game will still allow you to use pings the old way in custom games in order to facilitate the practice of line-ups on your favorite agents.

Neon nerfs

Will the coming changes to Neon finally balance the agent? (credit: Riot Games)

Neon has been terrorizing both professional play and the ranked ladder in recent times, meaning the speedy duelist has been long overdue for a nerf. Well, that time has finally come.

Here's the list of nerfs coming Neon's way with patch 9.11 of VALORANT:

• Slide count (High Gear) reduced from 2 to 1
• Accuracy while sliding reduced (similar to moving while crouched)
• Ultimate (Overdrive) cost increased from 7 to 8 points
• Tighter Ultimate timing

All of the coming nerfs to Neon are focused on making the agent a less oppressive experience for opponents to face. While the changes certainly look substantial, only time will tell if this set of nerfs will land Neon in a healthy spot, or if Riot Games has overshot the mark.

The aforementioned changes will take effect starting patch 9.11 scheduled for 10th December, 2024. The detailed patch notes for the update will be released a day before.

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Image source: Riot Games

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