Competitive Valorant Sees Controversial Map Return, Confusing Players

Valorant enthusiasts are in high spirits as one of the game’s most despised maps has been officially removed from play. However, this change comes at the cost of reintroducing two maps that many players also find unappealing.

With the onset of ‘Season 2025,’ players have witnessed an explosive new addition to the agent roster with the debut of Tejo, who has arrived with a flurry of high-impact capabilities.

Now, Patch 10.04 has arrived, marking a significant alteration to the current map pool. Players are thrilled to see Abyss depart, but the arrival of familiar controversial maps has raised eyebrows.

Goodbye Abyss, Hello Icebox and Ascent

In the forthcoming Patch 10.04, Abyss and Bind are making an exit, clearing the way for the return of Ascent and Icebox. Early feedback from the community shows considerable relief regarding Abyss’s departure.

Abyss quickly earned its place among the least favored maps due to numerous gameplay exploits that have persisted since its introduction. While content creators on platforms like TikTok may enjoy the unique movement mechanics popularized by Jett and Omen, both competitive and casual players have typically found the experience frustrating.

“OMG NO ABYSS LET’S GOOOO,”exclaimed one fan on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Tyson ‘TenZ’ Ngo, a prominent figure in the Valorant community, echoed this sentiment by expressing relief that “ABYSS IS GONE!!! MIGHT HAVE TO CELEBRATE TODAY.”

Another player enthusiastically added, “ABYSS GONE OMG I FEEL SO SEEN RN! AND NO BREEZE AND ABYSS??? WHO’S COOKING AT RIOT?”

However, the farewell to Abyss also means losing Bind, a map cherished by many, in favor of a somewhat perplexing decision to reintroduce other maps.

The return of Ascent has left many players scratching their heads, especially since it was just taken out of rotation weeks prior. Typically, the cycle for map adjustments takes months, but Ascent’s swift re-entry has disappointed those hoping for a fresh rotation.

PATCH 10.04 COMPETITIVE MAP ROTATION Abyss and Bind are out, Icebox and Ascent return. pic.twitter.com/GVDGPbLXVT

— VALORANT (@VALORANT) January 14, 2025

Navi player Emirhan ‘hiro’ Kat questioned, “How is Ascent already coming back, bro?”Another fan remarked on the missed opportunity for pros to showcase their strategies without Ascent, bemoaning the reversion just a month later. “Riot seems apprehensive about embracing diversity in map rotation, fixating instead on recycling the same less-exciting maps repeatedly,”they commented.

On the other hand, Icebox continues to be a polarizing addition. Some players detest it, but it lacks the widespread controversy attached to Ascent.

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