We love a good Valorant skin here at The Loadout. Be it the booming chug of the Prelude to Chaos Vandal, or the definitely-movement-enhancing flick of the Xenohunter knife, developer Riot Games continues to churn out cosmetics that delight. However, you always get the rough with the smooth, and amid criticism of recent skins – and a perceived aversion to the colour pink – the studio has shared its thoughts on the process of designing them.
Speaking to our friends over at PCGamesN, lead cosmetics producer Preeti Khanolkar says that the studio is “intentionally not trying to please everyone” with each new Valorant skins release, due to just how diverse the tastes of its audience are.
“It’s impossible to make something everyone loves,” Khanolkar states, “and if you try to make something appealing to everyone then the reality is that it is bland and actually pleases no one.” Theoretically it makes sense. People who like the colour blue aren’t necessarily going to like something that’s red. And if you mix all the colours together on a canvas, you’re just going to get sludge.
“Every time we make a sci-fi skin,” Khanolkar continues, “the players who prefer fantasy may feel left out. And vice versa if we make a fantasy-inspired skin. Likewise, if you prefer the Vandal, you might feel bummed when a theme you love actually has a Phantom instead.”
With that said, Riot appears to have found a winning balance with the new Misericórdia knife, obtainable from the VCT Lock In capsule. Taking the Xenohunter knife’s animations, and fixing them to a more colourful, crystalline body, has allowed the studio to, at the very least, make purple. You can read more about that process in PCGN’s full interview with Khanolkar and associate art director Sean Marino right here.
If the recent skin releases and lead up to VCT Lock In have gotten you in the mood to jump into the Valorant ranks, be sure to kit yourself out with one of the best Valorant crosshairs to help ensure you’re landing your shots.