Everything We Know About Valorant's Yoru
On Jan. 12, Valorant's second Episode will begin. Episodes and Acts are Valorant's equivalent to what are generally considered Seasons in similar titles. In Valorant, each Episode features three Acts, each of which includes its own unique Battle Pass rewards, in addition to various other new in-game content.
Much to the excitement of the game's fans, Valorant's newest Episode will introduce a new playable Agent.
Yoru, who is set to be added to the game on Jan. 12, was first revealed just days before the new Episode's scheduled start date. While teased beforehand, he was officially detailed in both a trailer shared by Riot and character breakdowns circulated online by those who were given a chance to try him out ahead of time.
The character's name might be the first clue as to what he's capable of. In Japanese, Yoru (or 夜) means "evening" or "night", and accordingly, his abilities are designed with stealth in mind. Here's everything we know about Yoru.
Yoru's abilities
PC Gamer writer Morgan Park was among those given a chance to play as Yoru in a Riot event intended to provide select influencers and journalists with the opportunity to preview the Agent. In the wake of that event, Park broke down Yoru's formidable abilities.
Yoru's "C" ability is called Fakeout, and mimics the sound of footsteps. His "E" is called Gatecrash, and creates an object called a Tether, to which Yoru can teleport on command. His "Q," called Blindside, functions as a flash grenade when bounced off of a wall. Finally, his "X," or ultimate ability, called Dimensional Rift, renders Yoru invisible and immune to enemy attacks for an extended period of time.
Categorically, Yoru is a duelist, which means his skillset is intended to help him excel in combat versus a lone enemy agent. However, Park wrote that even this nomenclature's focus on a propensity for dueling "undersells just how completely [Yoru] can dominate 1v1s." This suggets that Yoru's kit works very much as intended.
Playing as Yoru
Another player given a chance to preview Yoru was former Overwatch League star and FaZe Clan Valorant pro Babybay. He took to social media to break down Yoru's abilities in detail, showcasing their quirks and range of utility options.
Babybay demonstrated how Fakeout can be used to send a line of fake footsteps off in a straight line, or place a marker on the ground that can do so when triggered at a later point in time. Gatecrash functions similarly, sending its Tether either to a far away point or adjacent to Yoru. He also demonstrated how Dimensional Rift can be maintained for a considerable length of time.
Former Counter-Strike pro and current Dignitas VP sapphiRe showed off the supplementary content accompanying Yoru's appearance. His contract, for example, in addition to the standard sprays and cards, includes the titles "Gatecrasher" and "Unmasked." These titles evoke Yoru's abilities, and the latter references a mask Yoru wears for the duration of time Dimensional Rift is active. In addition, sapphiRe showcased Yoru's Agent select animation, in which he rips open and emerges from a dimensional portal, removing his mask upon arrival.
The Valorant community at large can try out Yoru beginning on Jan. 12.