VALORANT Breeze Rework – The Changes
VALORANT’s Breeze map was introduced in Episode 2 Act 3. While it was far from perfect, it was received quite well by the fanbase.
However, in order to keep the game and competitive scene fresh, Breeze was rotated out of the map pool in Episode 6 Act 1. This was also done to accommodate the newly released Lotus.
But, it’s finally back. Riot announced that Breeze will be added back into the map pool in Episode 7 Act 2. While not every player is a big fan of this map, it has been reworked a bit to improve the gameplay. Pearl and Fracture are going to be removed to make space for Breeze and a new map.
Let’s see if the rotations are worth it and whether or not the changes have turned Breeze into something a bit more exciting.
Mid Changes
The mid area received the most significant change, as the wall to the right of the pillar is extended out. This creates only one pathway to mid and makes taking mid control equally difficult (or easy, depending on who you’re playing) for both attackers and defenders.
In place of the brick cubby, there are boxes you can climb on to peek at nest and connector. From the defending side, there is a cubby where you can hide to catch attackers off guard and punish them while they’re peeking from the boxes.
Overall, this is a solid change that simplifies both attacking and defending mid. It is going to be interesting to see how teams approach this with new strategies.
B Site Changes
For the B site, they more or less simplified the site by making some tweaks. Firstly, the stairs leading to the site from the lane are removed completely and replaced by a wall. You can still enter the site by jumping on boxes placed on both sides of the wall.
Secondly, the broken down wall has been straightened out, and there is a box placed behind it to peek the site.
This splits the site into two areas giving more room for attackers to play. At the same time, this also makes the site more favorable to attackers and harder to retake.
A Site Entrance (Cave) Changes
The A-site cave and shop of VALORANT’s Breeze map received complete overhauls. First of all, cave is locked out, and now you can only enter through shop.
Secondly, the door to the shop is widened, and there are changes to the overall layout of it. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact changes just by looking at the pictures. But, it is obvious that this is a major change.
A Site Tweaks
There are no major changes to the A site, as it more or less remains the same. The only major change is with the pillars, which are increased in height and labeled. They now feature a prawn and crab logo, which makes differentiating them easier for callouts
A Hall and Mid Doors
The most shocking change of all is the removal of A hall from Breeze. There is a fenced wall separating the hall door from ropes. You can still see and shoot through the fence but can’t cross it anymore. It is still not revealed if the vents are there or not. We have to wait till the map is released to know for sure.
The second change is the mid door. The door is now completely open, allowing a clear view of mid and site. There is also an addition of two boxes. This is likely done to prevent the attackers from being suffocated from two angles.
What About the New VALORANT Map?
Since Fracture and Pearl are rotating out. There is room for two maps in the pool. One of which is Breeze. That leaves room for one more, which means there is definitely a new map coming. For now, there has been no information on this map. But, it is safe to assume that it is going to be released with the new Act.
