Sentinels’ Sick opens up about the Valorant controller meta and explains why the game is not becoming an “RPG PVP”

Sentinels’ Hunter “Sick” Mims recently opened up about the state of the controller meta in Valorant.

Many players, like TSM’s James “Hazed” Cobb, feel that the current controller meta has turned Valorant into an “RPG PVP.” These players believe that gunplay is slowly taking a back seat as the game is becoming more and more like Overwatch.

However, other professionals, like Sick, have provided a counter-argument, stating that controllers are not as overpowered as many players make them out to be.

In a recent tweet, Sick spoke about how gunfights are still the name of the game in Valorant. He believes that controller utility just delays site entry and doesn't completely remove gunplay from the equation.

Do we really think controllers are OP in Valorant? Weren’t people complaining that duelists were getting all love? In my opinion since there are normally only a couple players on the team that can use smokes they should be oppressive. Gunfights are still 90 percent of the game.

— Hunter Mims (@SicK_cs) May 23, 2021

The Astra-Viper combo might be insanely difficult to deal with, but there are enough flashes in the game to overcome such threats. Moreover, Astra has one of the highest skill ceilings in the game.

Mastering her kit is not a cup of tea. Even though many have called her an overpowered Agent, Astra requires an incredible amount of practice and game sense to pull off.

True but I feel the same way about the damage amp and CC. It’s so people actually have to respect the utility. Astra/Viper don’t have the mobility of omen so those parts of their kit is what makes them strong. But again only 2 players on the team can have that power.

— Hunter Mims (@SicK_cs) May 23, 2021

When talking about Valorant’s controller meta, Sick wrote:

“Do we really think controllers are OP in Valorant? Weren’t people complaining that duelists were getting all love? In my opinion, since there are normally only a couple players on the team that can use smokes they should be oppressive. Gunfights are still 90 percent of the game.”

“This is how tactical FPS games work sometimes you are forced to wait, or sometimes you’ll die from utility without shooting a bullet. Even in CS: GO you are forced to wait behind smokes constantly. Or you’ll die while planting by being naded. CC is just a new form of utility.”

Controller priority at an all-time high in Valorant competitive play

With the arrival of Astra and the amount of buffs that Viper has received in the last couple of patches, Valorant’s Agent meta has effectively shifted from flashes to smokes.

Controller priority is at an all-time high in competitive play, and creating choke points to nullify enemy strategies has become the norm in Riot Games’ shooter.

Valorant has slowly over time shifted to a state where its way less about gunplay and legitimately feels more in-line with rpg pvp. Feels like Overwatch again in the way its developing. Guns feel too RNG/easy at the same time, classic can be shot while flying, running acc etc.

— Grego (@GregoFPS) May 22, 2021

This is one of the reasons why many Valorant professional players have raised their concerns regarding how the shooter was “straying too far away from the FPS game.”

Both Hazed and Sick have valid points regarding the controller meta. However, whether or not Valorant is turning into an “RPG PVP” is up for debate.