The next VALORANT <\/em>map has finally been officially revealed in Sunset, confirming hints that Riot was working on a map set in their own backyard in Los Angeles, California. While the map designers admit that there were some unique challenges in making Sunset, doing so was a labor of love for the city the developer calls home.<\/p>
Sunset was first shown behind closed doors to members of the media before the start of the final days of VALORANT <\/em>Champions 2023<\/a>, which took place in Los Angeles and concluded at the iconic Kia Forum. At the special event, lead map designer Joe Langford spoke extensively about what went into creating the map, saying he relished the opportunity to make a map in LA as a locally grown Californian.<\/p>
Related: VALORANT <\/em>Champions 2023 eclipses massive viewership mark\u2014and shows no signs of slowing down<\/a><\/strong><\/p>
Several of the more complex ideas initially in mind for Sunset were scaled back, a recurring trend in VALORANT <\/em>map development; Pearl featured a massive hole in the ground early in its development<\/a> when it was still referred to by the codename Pitt. An original version of Sunset featured an acid pit underneath an angled hallway that would deal damage to players like a Viper\u2019s Snakebite if they stayed in it too long. An Ascent-like door that had an attacker and defender-side switch was also considered.<\/p>
