Pearl has been in dire need for changes according to fans and pro players alike, with Riot tweaking certain aspects of the map.
Valorant map design can be tricky, as it needs to be a fun playground with enough room for both attacking and defending teams to set up shop without heavily favoring one or the other.
Sometimes, regardless of where you played, it seemed no one was happy - and that's the case with Pearl. A polarizing map that, months after Riot denied working on a rework, has received just that.
Don't picture a massive overhaul, but fixes on different parts of the map, that put together, should make for a more fun and less frustrating experience overall. All these changes will come with Valorant patch 5.06 so let's break it all down.
All Pearl Changes For Valorant 5.06 Update
Let's detail everything new you can expect when the latest update drops.
B Main - Lowered waist-high wall on the left side of B Main so that it can no longer completely hide anyone.
BEFORE
AFTER
Mid Shops - Clearing this area in Mid Shops is harder than Riot intended. By extending the platform, the devs are still keeping some of the holding power for attackers, but making it easier to push this area.
BEFORE
AFTER
Mid Shops to Mid Plaza - This is another spot on Mid Shops that’s proven to be painful to clear when trying to move through mid. So Riot removed one of the corners.
BEFORE
AFTER
Mid Top - Mid currently favors attackers so Riot pushed in a wall on Mid Top, to remove a 50-50 check. This should make it slightly easier for defenders to challenge mid.
BEFORE
AFTER
A Art - Riot noticed the difficulty both sides have had moving effectively through A Art. They're simplifying the space so there are fewer areas to check.
BEFORE
AFTER
B Link - This box provides a good piece of cover for attackers pushing B link, but it’s been tough to re-clear for defenders. Riot is keeping a little attacker-side power, but making it easier for defenders to manage. The stack of boxes cover closer to the site will shift from the left side to the right, to simplify the number of angles approaching players need to consider, as well as close a difficult sightline to B Hall.
BEFORE
AFTER
A Main - Removing a cut out on the wall of A Main to simplify the space, which should also make this area slightly easier for defenders to aggro into (although really, you should hold site).
AFTER
A Main to A Site - This spot was unnecessarily tough to smoke effectively. By tightening the choke by a margin, Riot hopes to make smoking easier and give a small buff to defenders (i.e, a new utility spot). The cubby on the right will also shrink slightly to keep it from being too deep.
BEFORE
AFTER
And that's it! We hope this makes Pearl more playable since we're still missing Split so much in ranked.
For more content: