How has Valorant's meta shifted with Gekko's release?

Valorant’s newest Episode 6 Act 2 pulled the curtains off the game’s 23rd Agent, Gekko. The Los Angeles-based young Radiant carries four Pokemon-like creatures in his sash, who can be summoned to assist him and his team. He is the sixth Initiator Agent on the roster and offers unique ways to execute aggressive strategies.

Needless to say, Gekko’s addition to Valorant has caused a significant shift in the Initiator meta. His utilities are not only colorful, but also difficult to dodge. With him being new, most players are yet to figure out ways to counter his abilities effectively. In fact, many have already deemed the character as “broken.”

That being said, Gekko’s kit is pretty extraordinary when compared to other Agents in Valorant and players will definitely have fun using his creatures. However, it’s important to have an idea of the shift in meta as this will help counter an experienced Gekko Main on the opposing team.

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What can Gekko do in Valorant and how has he affected the meta?

As players may have noticed, Gekko is an independent Initiator and can be played as a Duelist in Valorant. He is excellent at clearing corners and spotting enemies. Furthermore, players can reclaim three of his abilities to use multiple times in a round after a short cooldown.

Before getting into the meta shift, let’s take a look at Gekko’s skills in Valorant:

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Wingman (Basic Ability)

Wingman can be sent in straight lines or at an angle (similar to Raze’s Boombot trajectory). Wingman can plant or defuse a spike — simply point at the location and Alt-Fire. The ability can also be used to clear spaces around the map — Equip Wingman and Fire to send him forward. He will fire a concussive blast at the first enemy he spots.

Once Wingman expires, he will turn into a dormant globule. Gekko can reclaim the globule by interacting with it and gain a free charge after a cooldown.

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Dizzy (Signature Ability)

Dizzy is an effective Intel ability in Valorant and is Gekko’s Signature ability. She can be deployed into the air to spot and blind enemies on the other side of a barrier. Fire to project it into the air, she will spot and fire plasma blasts at enemies until she expires or is destroyed. Players hit by it are frontally blinded, but retain slight peripheral vision.

Once Dizzy expires, she will turn into a dormant globule. Gekko can reclaim the globule by interacting with it and gain a free Dizzy charge after a cooldown.

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Mosh Pit (Basic Ability)

Gekko’s Mosh Pit is a Deterrent ability in Valorant, similar to KAY/O’s FRAG/MENT and Breach’s Aftershock. Mosh can be equipped and projected like a grenade. Upon landing, it spreads across a large area and explodes shortly after. It’s a great ability to clear critical spaces or discourage an enemy trying to defuse the bomb.

Anyone caught in the inner radius of the pit during the explosion will be killed (150 HP), while those in the outer radius will deal non-lethal but substantial damage (75 HP). Mosh Pit is a single-charge utility and cannot be recharged by claiming globules.

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Thrash (Ultimate Ability)

Gekko’s Ultimate ability is a combination of Skye’s Trailblazer and Killjoy’s Lockdown. Upon equipping Thrash, the player can Fire to start scouting for enemies and Activate to explode and detain anyone in a small radius. In fact, Gekko can detain himself with his Ultimate, which is an odd mechanic but exists anyway.

Thrash requires seven Ultimate Points in Valorant and can be reclaimed after first use. However, it can only be reused once in a round.

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Gekko’s influence on Valorant’s meta

In Valorant, not only can Gekko initiate for his team, but can also take control of space effectively. His kit is great for collecting early intel, flushing out corners, and outplaying enemies. As mentioned before, he has the potential to be a Duelist due to his versatile and easy-to-use kit.

Other Initiators in Valorant are heavily team-oriented, which diminishes their efficacy in independent scenarios. As of now, Gekko is the most independent Initiator in the group, but this is only if the developers don’t nerf him in the long run.

The Agent's greatest strength lies in his ability to reclaim his utilities and reuse them multiple times in a round. As a result, he will have to try and use his abilities in a way that would allow him to safely collect the globule afterwards. His kit can turn out to be unfruitful if he is unable to grab additional charges for his utilities.

Gekko is best played in a double-Initiator composition, which takes the pressure off him slightly. The presence of a team-oriented location-revealing peer like Sova or Fade will allow him to take an aggressive approach with his utilities. When played as a solo Initiator, he can be a great fit for maps like Ascent, Fracture, and Icebox.

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Gekko’s abilities are not exactly overpowered as some may think. For starters, enemies can destroy his utilities if they are quick enough. His one-second blinding ability may not be as effective as that of Skye, KAY/O, or Breach. Mosh Pit can be tackled easily, just like one would handle other Deterrent abilities.

Thrash can be slightly difficult to counter due to its health (200 HP). However, one can tackle it by destroying or dodging it on time or having a teammate cover for a detained player. It can also be countered using KAY/O's ZERO/Point or NULL/cmd.

There are other ways to make Thrash less effective in Valorant. For example, it can be slowed using Sage's Slow Orb or concussed using Breach's Fault Line (and Rolling Thunder) and Skye's Trailblazer. Furthermore, players can team up to stop him from reclaiming his abilities by keeping an eye on dormant globules.