VALORANT Patch 4.02 notes are live today. The second patch of Episode 4, Act I is pretty small, touching on only a few minor issues, including a performance improvement, a change to AFK detection in-game and a Killjoy bug fix.
Improved performance
- Improved latency for Windowed Fullscreen mode to match closer to Fullscreen Exclusive
Previously, players who opted for windowed fullscreen mode found they were experiencing higher latency than those in fullscreen exclusive. Riot also said that the improvements to bring the two in line with each other will also work with in-game overlays. An important note: putting another window over VALORANT will cause the latency to drop again.
Social updates
- AFK detection buff
Riot has updated their detections for “non-participatory behavior in game.” It is unclear what this means, other than the fact that the game will now be better at targeting AFK players in games.
Another item in this section of the patch notes is more of a reminder. Riot reiterated that Agent-select reporting is available. If a player is griefing or committing some other reportable offense, you can right click on them and report them pre-game.
Patch 4.02 bug fixes
There are two bug fixes in VALORANT Patch 4.02. First, a fix for a cosmetic bug in the Bulldog Spectrum Z skin. The pulsing FX around the Spectrum Z logo will no longer appear next to the trigger during second inspect animation.
The second bug fix is more impactful for gameplay. Previously, Killjoy’s Alarmbot and Turret were sometimes unretrievable after being revived by Sage, but this has been patched.
Another known bug issue that has not yet to be addressed on the esports side of things is Projectile Follow, which currently bugs out for Observer Follower.
Riot Games released a Dev Diaries on Thursday that addressed their plans for Episode 4, Act II. Players can expect a lot more of these smaller patches that target performance and micro adjustments to the game. Act II will also tackle certain agents like Phoenix and Yoru, who are still outliers in terms of their play rate and power.
