Leaks suggest Valorant's Operator to drop to 4700 credits amid weapon cost changes

Like with many other tactical shooters, Valorant's weapon economy is one of the most important aspects of the game and a very delicate thing to balance properly.

A weapon's stats is one thing but how often players get their hands on it is another entirely, make it too cheap and before you know it everyone is running the best gun, too expensive and it becomes unattainable except only by the team that is already stomping another.

It's a dance that requires ballet level expertise and its own that game's such as Counter-Strike, over 20 years old still continue to tinker with. Now it appears rival tactical-shooter Valorant is set for a huge overhaul of its in-game economy - at least if reliable data miner and leaker, ValorLeaks is to be believed.

Valorant weapon cost changes for Episode 3?

A price list, tweeted by ValorLeaks, and described as "future" weapon changes has got the community all riled up. Here is it:

Future Weapon Price Changes | #VALORANT
~ Frenzy : 500 >>> 450
~ Stinger : 1100 >>> 950
~ Bucky: 900 >>> 850
~ Judge: 1600 >>> 1850
~ Bulldog: 2100 >>> 2050
~ Guardian: 2400 >>> 2250
~ Marshall: 1000 >>> 950
~ Operator: 5000 >>> 4700
~ Ares: 1600 >>> 1550

— Mike - Valorant Leaks & Info (@ValorLeaks) June 7, 2021

The biggest potential change arguably comes for the all-powerful Operator. Having previously saw its price increased from 4500 to 5000, it looks like it will be reduced by 300 to 4700.

There are a number of other eye-catching changes revealed, including decreasing the price of the Frenzy from 500 to 450, a move that would prove immensely unpopular unless the SMG-lite pistol was also nerfed in its baseline stats.

The Frenzy may see its price decrease in Valorant Episode 3. (Picture: Riot Games)

A more popular change would be that seen to the Judge, which - according to this leak - will increase from 1600 to 1850.

Other notable changes are the Stinger price, reduced from 1100 to 950 meaning that a force-buy in Round 2 after a win wouldn't hobble your economy in Round 3.

These changes apparently appeared in a developer's build for Episode 3 - which is expected to begin on 22nd June - and it may be that only some, or none, of these changes makes it into the final build.

Feature image courtesy of Riot Games.