Valorant’s upcoming Agent 22 might be codenamed Smokedancer, according to recent leaks 

It's been a while since Valorant welcomed Harbor to its roster. A recent leak has now revealed the codename of a new playable character who is expected to join the roster in an upcoming competitive Act.

According to the source, the new Agent is currently under development and is being referred to as the “Smokedancer.” Aside from this leak, there are no official hints about the upcoming Agent in Valorant. However, fans now have a codename to begin fueling speculation.

Valorant usually adds new Agents to its meta every few Acts, thus keeping the game’s tactical experience fresh and interesting. The newest Controller Agent, Harbor, was added to the pool in Episode 5 Act 3, which ended last month.

As per the usual trend, Smokedancer (Agent 22, according to Riot's counter) might make his/her way into the game in Episode 6’s second or third Act.

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Smokedancer could be a new Sentinel Agent in Valorant

Valorant’s current Agent roster features 20 powerful Agents, each carrying four abilities and nurturing a unique playstyle. The action-heavy hero shooter has four Agent classes. Players can pick from six Duelists, five Initiators, five Controllers, and four Sentinels.

As many may know, the Sentinels class has received the least developmental attention so far. Hence, fans can expect the new Agent to be a Sentinel, thus adding a new defense meta to the game. However, Riot Games may deviate from expected trends by introducing a new Duelist, Initiator, or even, Controller.

Chamber’s brutal nerf in patch 5.12 has led to turmoil in the community, as none of his colleagues nurture such an aggressive kit. Many are struggling to keep up with the new meta, as they try switching to Cypher and Killjoy’s defensive prowess and stick to passive approaches.

The name Smokedancer may suggest the ability to counter smoke or visual barriers in Valorant. It could be a visual enhancement that allows the Agent to see through smoke, but with viable restrictions. The developers will have to make sure to balance his/her abilities to keep the meta stable.

If the upcoming Agent is at all a dedicated counter to visual barriers in the game, he/she will bring about a massive change in pace to the meta. Sentinel Agents usually thrive in a passive playstyle, but a “Smokedancer” may change this trend for good.

While the "Smokedancer" leak comes from a reliable source, it’s recommended to take it with a grain of salt to avoid disappointment in the future.

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Valorant also welcomed a new map called Lotus in the ongoing Episode 6 Act 1 competitive frame. While its design was created to be versatile for both sides, the map is slowly emerging as attacker-friendly. A Sentinel-heavy team composition is seemingly a good way to tackle Lotus’ quirks on defense.

Cypher and Killjoy are worthy picks on Lotus. However, a new Sentinel Agent will definitely boost the prevailing meta and give players further options in the defensive aspect.