The VALORANT developers have spoken out on the topic of smurf accounts (high-ranked players creating new accounts to rapidly rise in the ranks) in the game.
In a blog post discussing the matter, Riot says it has been actively monitoring the situation, cooking up a plan to combat the phenomenon: "We’ve been collecting and incorporating feedback from all our channels, and have since spun up an investigation into the current state of smurfing in VALORANT. Because we’re currently deep in this investigation, there is no actionable plan to share just yet."
In assessing the situation, the developers noticed that most smurf accounts haven't been created "with no malicious intent—they’re trying to play competitively with friends outside of their rank."
That said, the team is committed to combat the problem once it has figured out how to do so effectively. Those with smurf accounts could face severe punishments: losing access to playing VALORANT is an option the developers are considering as ultimate penalty.
The third Masters tournament of the year will take place in the Verti Music Hall in Berlin, hosting sixteen teams from all around the world.
Image courtesy of Riot Games.
