The latest buzz in the Valorant community is not about a new character, nor a new map, but the bane of all multiplayer games: pattern of players going AFK (Away From Keyboard) during games. This seems to occur frequently post the latest act release.
Summary
- AFK issues have surged since the new Act, impacting the gaming experience for Valorant enthusiasts.
- Gamers have raised concerns about the AFK problem, with some even fearing the impacts on ranked matches.
- There is a call for stronger deterrents and punishments for AFK players.
Growing Concerns
ChickenFunky, who initiated these discussions, is surprised by the rate of players going AFK during games. It’s not just an issue during a round or two, but it’s affecting the entire game and across teams. This has caused them to hold back from participating in competitive play, a shared sentiment with many others. This is becoming a major deterrent for gamers who are eager but apprehensive about the competitive gameplay.
The AFK Phenomenon
ReaperLeviathannn adds onto this concern, stating how the AFK issue has seeped into ranked games too. According to them, it’s extremely rare to find a game where at least one person isn’t AFK for at least five rounds. Having players disappear during crucial phases of a game can steer the result in a drastically different direction, affecting the rankings of all involved players. It’s time Valorant takes note of this.
The Community’s Take
However, Legendoery views it in a different light. This user urges fellow gamers to simply queue into ranked games, hinting that AFKs in unrated games are a normal occurrence. Kreker__, agreeing with Legendoery, confirmed that this is a normal situation especially in unrated games. This suggests that the community somewhat tolerates a level of AFK in games but, the extent and severity of the issue in recent times calls for immediate attention and action.
While the Valorant game creators could perhaps look at improving their penalty mechanisms for frequent AFK players, maybe, as Legendoery suggests, the community needs to brace for the challenge and queue up for ranked. While there’s some humor to be found in this situation, at the end of the day the gaming community is here to play and win games, not to witness vacant slots in the team. And the AFK syndrome, my friends, is contrary to this very reason for the existence of the Valorant community.
