Valorant players demand “simple and clean” skin preview

an image of a skin from Valorant Throwback Pack Outlaw BundleRiot Games

Valorant players are fed up with the new skin preview in the client that doesn’t really showcase the intended cosmetic and instead want a return to the previous system.

Valorant skins are an expensive commodity depending on the skin line and players want to know what they are paying for before pulling the trigger on a pricey cosmetic.

That’s where the skin preview screen comes into play, which is an area in the Valorant client that allows players to see what they are about to purchase, with its unique animations and sounds. That is, however, under normal circumstances.

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Riot Games has a more modern skin preview in the client now that is more like a YouTube video showcasing the entire skin line, instead of just the one weapon players are looking at. In a Reddit post, Valorant players are demanding a return to the old preview system and rejecting the modern one.

Valiant Hero Valorant skin bundleRiot Games
The Valiant Hero Valorant skin bundle.

The post used the recent Nocturnum Phantom skin as an example, which has a preview that shows off the knife from the bundle more than the rifle’s unique animations.

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“They didn’t even inspect the Phantom here lmao,” one player said.

Others pointed out that the preview didn’t even show the reload animation for the new skin.

“For a game as big as Valorant I’m surprised they haven’t made the skin previews more simple and clean. I also wish the video was implemented into the UI instead of showing up on an overlay,” one Reddit user said.

As Riot’s tactical shooter has grown older, the promotion of its cosmetics has gotten more elaborate and flashy. However, that seems to be at the detriment of showcasing its skins.

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Valorant is a live service title that relies on cosmetic sales to make a profit, so players should be able to see what kinds of skins they are purchasing to, not only look cool in-game but also keep the Riot game afloat.